Statement of Intent
by Pearli97
Summary: After witnessing a murder committed by the Golden Rhinos, Beat runs away from home to start a gang bent on stopping them. (Story is hopefully better than summary)
1. Chapter 1

**Author note: So this story started off as a head cannon between me and my sister about Beat being Rokkaku Gouji's son and Zero Beat being Beat's brothers. This story is just the events of Jet set radio and jet set radio future mixed together with that head cannon. I claim no ownership to the Jet Set Radio series in any form.**

 **Part 1**

Rokkaku enterprises, Tokyo-To's crown jewel. The company best known for its robotics worldwide is also the same company that brought Japan out of its economic depression. But who does Japan and the company owe its success to? Rokkaku Gouji of course! The multi-millionaire however denies this claim. In more recent interviews, he has stated that his success came from his wife, Rokkaku Takako's encouragement to start his own business after the birth of their first child and heir to the family business, Rokkaku Takuma. Gouji's business started in the basement of his home with just the meager funding both he and his wife could get. But that basement is where he created what set him and Japan on the path of prosperity, the Noise Tank, a humanoid robot with near limitless potential. The Noise Tank took the world by storm and now even comes in more advanced models known as the NT-2000 and 3000 all this being accomplished before the birth of their second child, Rokkaku Taisuke only four years after his business began. Now with their third child on the way, who knows what a waits? We can only hope for more.

Ten years later…

"Taisuke! Mother told you to come home! I know the streets call your name but so does she!" Takuma's voice blared over the dying speaker of the sixteen year-old's cell phone.

"Relax Takuma. I'm fine. Be home soon…" Taisuke trailed. He currently stood atop a building in Benten-Cho, Tokyo-To's source of nightlife, neon lights reflecting off his pair black and electric blue in-line skates and goggles. He kept out of sight from the populace below; he didn't exactly want the cops called on his ass again. The cops of Tokyo-To were ruthless. If they saw you on a pair of in-line skates you were immediately dubbed a 'rudie' and hunted like an animal until you escaped their sight or were arrested and on some occasions, gunned down. One might ask why that sounded appealing, but if you were like Taisuke, you couldn't give them a straight answer. Maybe it was the rush or the idea of 'going against the man' as his older brother put it.

"Taisuke are you still there?! " Takuma shouted again this time worry slipping into his harsh tone. "Mother left to go get your ass!"

"Tell her she doesn't need to. I'll be around in an hour Takuma" Taisuke sighed. He really did mean it until he caught sight of another rudie skating down below: a red dreaded man with a red jacket and baggy cargo pants and navy skates. He looked like he was running from somebody.

"Taisuke! She already left! She forgot her phone, if you're still there, find her! Before Father finds out and has a heart attack!"

Shit was all Taisuke could think as his brother hung up, the dial tone being the constant reminder that he had to get moving. Benten-Cho wasn't exactly the safest place to be at the dead of night in spite of the area's constant activity; from drug dealers to human traffickers. The area just wasn't the best to be alone in if you didn't have any idea of where you were going or who you should talk to. His mother was as nice as they come. So much so one could even call her naïve. Taisuke wouldn't even pretend to understand what she saw in his Father, who was gruff and somewhat egocentric. But he wouldn't lie; she did bring out the best in him.

The decision should have been easy, but it wasn't. There was his Mother and the other rudie who was clearly being hunted down by the police. He didn't even know where to start with to find his Mother. The rudie on the other hand was skating down to the train tracks, looking over his shoulder at any moment he could.

"I sure hope I don't regret this…" He huffed before jumping off his perch to follow the other rudie.

Taisuke followed as close to the rudie as he could without alerting him to his presence which was hard considering the rudie's paranoid behavior. He didn't really want to make them a bigger target by talking to the guy. He just wanted to make sure he got somewhere safer. Another thing about Benten-Cho was that there had been a spike in rudie murders. Just last week, a member of the Love Shockers was found shot dead on the side walk and a member of Poison Jam had gone missing in the area. Taisuke only stuck around the area because he was curious of what was going down.

Eventually the rudie stopped and began to shake and that was when Taisuke realized he didn't stop willingly. From his hiding spot atop an inactive train, he could see a strange group of men before the rudie. They wore: trench coats that hid most of their bodies and wore fedoras that left only one of their eyes exposed. It was the only skin exposed and just looking at it made Taisuke feel like he had seen death itself.

"Don't kill me! Pl-please d-d-don't kill me!" Was the rudie's pitiful cry before the trench coated men unleashed a barrage of bullets onto his body, killing him near instantly.

Taisuke couldn't move. His shaking body wouldn't let him. _"I couldn't have helped him even if I wanted to! Would that of been my fate? Dead on the ground, Mother crying over my corpse… MOTHER!"_ In his fears, he had forgotten all about her. He couldn't allow her to be around the area with these raving lunatics about. But the men were still there, their attention not even on the rudie's corpse anymore. Someone else had it.

From where he couldn't see, a tall lithe red haired woman emerged, running to the rudie's fallen body."What's wrong with you people?! You killed him in cold blood! What did he do to deserve that?!"

" _Oh no..."_ His Mother, caring as always, tried to confront maniacs with guns. _"Why?"_ His mind wailed. _"Why didn't I just go home?"_ The men cackled. _"Why didn't I just listen to my brother?"_ Their guns raised. _"Why am I so STUPID?!"_ His Mother screamed for help. Help that he couldn't provide. _"I-I'm sorry… Mother can you ever forgive me?"_ For the second time that night, the sound of gun shots filled his ears only this time he cried.

Taisuke didn't even know he fell asleep until he awoke to the delicate tap of a rain drop across is nose. "M-mother…" He bemoaned as he rose to see the gloomy sky that cried down onto him. How fitting it was he thought as he carefully made his way down from the train top. He refused to look where his Mother's and the rudie's bodies once lay. The thought of even doing so just made him cringe. He instead went back the way he came which unfortunately led him Benten-Cho's shopping district. His skates lazily clacked against the cement until he passed by a TV. store that played the news.

"Found on the streets of Benten-Cho this morning, was the body of Rokkaku Takako, the wife of Rokkaku Enterprises founder, Rokkaku Gouji. No word has been said on the cause of her death but police captain Onishima has heavily implied that rudies, young teenage hooligans that roam the streets on in-line skates were the cause. At this time, there has been no word from her family on the matter of what she was doing out in Benten so late at night." The newswoman spoke her voice void of actual emotion. It made Taisuke sick.

"I-I have to get home…" He mumbled to himself. But then he stopped himself. _"I can't go home. I can't face them! Mother's dead because of me… For all I know… They think I'm dead too…"_ The thought burned his very soul and made tears sting his eyes as he hugged himself. "The worse they can do is kick me out…" _"I might as well be dead to them… Takuma, Rokuro, and Father...God I'm a screw up."_

The mansion he called home looked alien to him. There were no lights on except for the occasional spark of blue coming from what he believed to be his Father's workshop. The man was so secretive, he never let any of the kids in there he barely even let in his own wife.

With a heavy sigh, he entered his home and took off his skates to make as little sound as possible as he made his way to his room. The stairs creaked under his feet a sound near foreign to him as his Mother usually had music playing throughout the house. She claimed it kept her and Father sane in the mansion's massive expanse. Takuma usually just joked that they did it to keep the spirits at bay. The idea never scared him before, just Rokuro but now he wasn't so sure. He hurried the last bit to his room, only briefly checking to see if his siblings were in their rooms, he didn't see them and he didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

He hid his skates under his bed and replaced them with a pair of tennis shoes the same color. He never told his Father that he considered himself a rudie and that would have to remain especially now if he decided to stay or was kicked out. He thought of just staying in his room until he made up a plan of what to do if either one of those ideas came to fruition but the loud growl of his stomach kept him from thinking. He couldn't even remember what the last thing he ate even was. He usually didn't eat much to begin with and it always made his Mother upset.

" _One day when you leave home Taisuke… Promise Mommy you'll eat more okay?_ I don't _want my baby starving just to fit into his only pair of jeans."_ She'd say her face always sad. It was always weird for him to see her sad. It was like staring into a mirror. They looked identical from the flaming red hair, to their pale as snow skin and brown freckled green eyes. They were both even tall and wiry. Takuma and Rokuro on the other hand looked more like their Father: they were thicker with dark hair and eyes, their skin even held more color. At least they didn't burn in the sun. In the end, Taisuke decided he should get some food and least do that for his Mother. With as much stealth as he could muster, he exited his room and began to make his way to the stairwell only to stop when he heard the eerie creaks of someone coming up it.

"Takako… Have you come back?"

Taisuke froze. It was his Father. He sounded… Different. His voice sounded hoarse. He'd been crying all night he inferred.

"I won't let you leave me again Takako… I won't let any of you leave me again…" There was a flash of thunder. It illuminated the hallway just long enough for Taisuke to see a bit of his Father. His face was sunken, his eyes bloodshot and his hands were covered in blood?

Taisuke couldn't help his scream. "Get away from me!" He turned and ran. He knew he could wrap around the second floor and make it back to the stairway and escape but the one thing he couldn't really account for was if his Father knew that that's what he had planned. He knew he could at least out run him.

"Takako! Don't run away! Don't you want to see our beautiful children?" That didn't stop Taisuke. He knew he'd have to get out alive if he even wanted to help Takuma and Rokuro if he could.

"But don't you want our happy family forever?" Taisuke ran down the stairs towards the backdoor. He passed his Father's workshop to see a small trail of blood leading in but he didn't investigate.

Gouji of course gave chase but he was quick to find that 'Takako' had fled through the backdoor and down into the streets of Shibuya-Cho. "Did those rudies take you again? Don't worry our sons will find them."

 **End of part 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2**

The moment Taisuke made it down into Shibuya-Cho, the rain began to pick up. By the time he made it to Dogenzaka hill the gutters began to flood and the frantic rush to get inside began. None of it really bothered Taisuke until he ended up getting pushed into one the flooding gutters by an uncaring individual.

"Perfect. Just perfect" he near hissed as he rose uncomfortably to his feet. If his cell phone wasn't dead it sure was now. But that wasn't much of a concern for him at that moment in time. He hadn't stopped moving since he ran from home. That fall ended up allowing for all his baggage to catch up. His Mother's dead his Father went off the deep end and his brothers were probably dead by their Father's hand. Not to mention his Father was convinced that he was his deceased wife. Yup the rain certainly wasn't one of his main concerns anymore. In fact, he didn't even feel it anymore strangely. He could see that it was still pouring. Curiously he looked up to see a navy blue umbrella floating over his head.

"Y'okay now buddy?" Jumping ever so slightly, he looked down beside himself to see a shorter rail thin male with messy blonde hair that framed his face, tired blue eyes and bigger more defined lips. He was wearing a blue jumpsuit with a grey jacket for extra warmth.

"Who're you?"

The man just laughed. "I'd ask you the same thing dude but I'm not that kind of guy. What I will ask you though is want to come dry off at my place?"

Taisuke didn't know why he decided to go with a complete stranger to his house. The other man eventually introduced himself as Corn and that he was sixteen, living under an assumed identity as to 'not get his ass deported back to America.' Taisuke didn't really push the issue especially once he got into Corn's warm yet sparsely decorated apartment.

"Just make yourself at home and stuff… Uh I think I got some tea or something…" Corn trailed before disappearing into another room, leaving Taisuke to get comfy in the living room which really only had a ratty red couch, a radio and an old TV on the floor. Nothing the red head was exactly used to. Neither the TV or radio was really appealing nor did he want to get Corn's sofa wet so he decided to wander over to the kitchen his stomach was still growling from earlier. He didn't make it very far however as something caught his foot, tripping him. Mumbling, he turned over to find the offending object, a pair of dark blue skates.

"He's a rudie?" As if on cue, Corn returned with dry clothes in hand.

"Yo dude wets chafing? Heh get it- oh…" It wasn't hard for him to figure out what Taisuke was staring at or why he was on the floor. "Uh yeah… Those are my skates. I'm a rudie… P-please don't say anything! I don't want to end up smeared on the streets of Benten-Cho!" The fear was easy to see in his eyes as he quaked.

"Relax I'm not gonna say anything. I'm a rudie too. I-I just forgot my skates before I ran off into the rain…" This seemed to significantly calm the blonde down. But when he asked another question, the blonde started to shake again. "You know whose murdering rudies don't you? You've seen'em to!"

Corn hugged the clothes in his arm close to his chest. "Yeah… I did. The Golden Rhinos… They murder rudies and leave no loose ends… They work with the police and- and none of this has been happening until more recently… God they're crazy…" He babbled well on until he noticed Taisuke's shiver. "I-I'm sorry here." He handed the red head the clothes he had just been coddling. "I think we're the same size yeah…"

Surprisingly, Corn's clothes fit alright all be it a little tight with the black skinny jeans but the fitted light green shirt fit wonders although he a little curious about why it read 'Beat' in Japanese. When he looked in the mirror, he thought it all looked nice together although his face on the other hand just looked sickly pale. "God, how did all this happen?" He couldn't even recognize his own voice, he just sounded awful. Any energy that was there before was gone as he slumped on the sink until there was a small knock at the bathroom door.

"Hey dude I made up some ramen if you want some." Corn called

"Th-thanks I'll be out in a minute."

True to his word, Corn had a bowl of ramen waiting on the kitchen counter just beside his own.

"So why were you out on the street in the rain if I may ask?" Corn was whole lot calmer than he was earlier, Taisuke noticed. It made him feel like he was just putting on a face for him. He wasn't exactly pressuring him to tell him but he knew that he wanted to know. He was just curious like anyone would be. He hadn't even told him his name and yet Corn offered him a place to stay to avoid the rain.

"Rokkaku Taisuke."

"What?'

"That's my name."

"Oh wait…"

"Yeah" it took Corn a lot longer to figure it out than he'd like to admit.

"Like Rokkaku Gouji's son?!"

"Hit the nail right on the headboard."

"I'm sorry."

"Why?" Corn didn't answer. He just got up and wandered over to his radio to turn it on. Near instantly, a loud man's voice blared through the dingy speakers screaming "Jet Set Radio!"

"Who's that?

"Just listen"

"Man! That Gouji's gone off his rocker! He's crazy! Word is that he's even exchanging letters with the Golden Rhinos even as we speak! Ain't that just funky?! I sure hope his kiddies know that Daddy dearest ain't so dear anymore know what I'm saying?" Taisuke couldn't help but cup his mouth.

"Apparently they've convinced him that they could go all genocidal on the rudies even though ironically they're the ones who went all homicidal on his wife. Guess that's just how the cookie crumbles. Rudies, I'd best be watching my back if I was you." Suddenly the ramen didn't seem so appetizing anymore, seeing this, the blonde the bowl away.

We need to do something about this." The bowl dropped.

"Wh-what?!"

"You heard me! My Father's gone insane and it's getting innocent rudies killed! He needs to be stopped!"

"They've been this even before your Mother was even killed!" Corn cried the shakes coming back. "They killed my best friend! I saw wh-what they di-did I don't want to see that again… I was about to get rid of my skates before I s-saw you in the rain!"

"What? So others can die because of cause they believe while you just hideaway? I mean why did you even become a rudie in the first place?!" Corn looked anywhere else but Taisuke's intense forest gaze.

"…Because it's the reason I came to Japan in the first place… I ran away here with my friends: Gum and Soda…" He didn't even need to see Taisuke's face to now that he wore a smug smirk.

"See? And obviously one of your friends's still kicking. Don'cha wanna protect them if you could? I mean God I wish I could of protected my Mother… I don't want to see anyone else get hurt if I could stop it." The blonde let off a soft sigh before he met Taisuke's gaze.

"O-okay… You got my help. I'll join your gang." That took Taisuke by shock.

"Gang? You mean like Poison Jam or the Immortals?" That made Corn laugh.

"Might as well. We'll need more than just you and me if we expect to take anyone down. Those that the Golden Rhinos usually target travel alone." He had quite the point Taisuke admitted "and you can't be going by your name on the streets. Especially one like yours, it's like walking with a big ass target on your back y'know." Again Corn made another valid point.

"Okay how about… Beat? Sounds legit right?" Corn chuckled

"That's what the shirt I gave you says isn't it?" Taisuke blushed.

"Yeah can't you read?" Corn shook his head

"I can barely speak Japanese as it is. Reading it is like eating magma, can't do that." Now it was Taisuke's turn to laugh.

"I guess so. Beat it is."

"Alright Beat. What's our first mission?" Tai- Beat scratched his head.

"I need to get my skates back from my house and get my money stash."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Probably not a good one though…"

The mansion still looked dead, Beat thought. Corn on the other hand was amazed. "Wow. I've never seen a house so big and so fancy…" He marveled while Beat just groaned.

"Where did you even live in America?"

"Suburbs of Detroit, Michigan?" Beat wouldn't even pretend he knew where that was. The most he knew of America was: Los Angles, New York, Texas, and Florida but only because he went on a vacation down there with his family when everything wasn't so confusing.

The door to the mansion was still unlocked surprisingly. He thought for sure his Father would have locked it. But then again the man's not in his right mind. "Okay Corn. We need to be quiet once inside. We don't want to attract my Father."  
"Is he really that threatening?" Beat didn't want to bring up the fact that he happens to think that he's his Mother so he just ended up nodding to the younger teen.

Once inside, Beat took a careful note of how dilapidated the house look in comparison to how it did earlier in the day. Earlier the walls were still pearly, now they were covered in a thick trail of dried blood and claw marks from some three fingered beast not to mention that anything breakable that lined the walls and foyer were smashed, ripped or burned.

"I take it back. Not so fancy anymore, definitely not, nope." Corn whispered as he hid his arms in his sleeves to hold to his chest. Beat couldn't blame him for being scared. He was too. But he had to get his skates and money, especially if he wanted to support a gang. As the two climbed the stairs, they were careful not to make it creak, with mild success. The main thing they were glad about was just making it to the top without incident.

"Okay when we get to my room, stand by the door and tell me if you hear anything okay?" Corn gave him a shaky salute as the red head entered. His Father had been in his room alright. The closet door was broken and his dresser was overturned but luckily for him, his skates and nest egg were untouched. Pocketing the cash and swinging his skates over his shoulder, he turned to look for Corn only to find him missing.

"C-Corn? Please tell me you're just taking a leak." But no answer came as he slowly made his way to his bedroom door. On the other side, he could hear something inhuman chattering lowly, he could even hear his companion's worried whimpers. _"You'll make it out of this Corn I swear it!"_ As fast as he could, he swung the door open and clobbered whatever held his friend with his skates until it dropped him. He grabbed Corn from the floor and took off, only looking back to see beady sky blue eyes staring back at him. But he didn't even think about what that thing was, he just ran out of the mansion as quickly as he could, hoping never to go back.

Corn's dingy apartment was a sight for sore eyes. It was at least mildly welcoming.

"T-that. Was. Painful." Corn moaned before throwing himself on the couch. "That thing came out of nowhere man and held like I was an intruder wait…"

"Yeah we were kind of intruding… But I don't think we've seen the last of that thing…" The blonde just groaned as Beat joined him on the couch. "At least we're still breathing and didn't run into my Father, that's a plus."

Corn gave him his yawn of agreement. "So what's next leader Beat?"

"Next, we get some sleep. I'm beat." The blonde let off a giggle at that "and well in the morning we'll go look for other rudies?"

Corn shrugged "Most rudies come out in the afternoon to late evening. We're like nocturnal'n junk." Beat couldn't argue with that. "And don't worry about finding at least two more members. I got an idea of who we can call on."

 **End of part 2**


	3. Chapter 3

**I keep forgetting to mention that this story was made for my sister who is a big jet set fan and stuff… Yeah and l don't own Jet Set Radio or Jet set radio future as this story is based on.**

 **Part 3**

The sky blue eyes of that held Corn haunted Beat's dreams that night. Be it him being too late to save his new found friend or the beast claiming him instead, the creature just wouldn't stop tormenting him. Eventually he just gave up on sleep in general. From his position on the couch, he could see the morning sun peaking over the window's blinds, which only reminded him that he fell asleep sitting up. Corn had passed out behind him, yet now he was gone, making the red head wonder how heavy of a sleeper he was.

"Mornin'" Corn yawned as he walked into the living room to find Beat's eyes on him. "You can go back to sleep y'know. I got work until 2. We can go out then."

Beat shrugged. "I couldn't exactly sleep… Well." Corn seemed to understand as he gave him a nod before making his way to the kitchen.

"Want anything then?"

"Nope" He put an emphasis on the 'p' which only made the blonde groan.

"You remind me of Soda. He wasn't much of a morning person. If you offered him food before noon he'd just… Oh…" Now Beat felt like an asshole, Soda was more than likely his friend that got killed by the Golden Rhinos, that pain must have still been fresh.

"You know what anything is fine really. I should be eating." This seemed to brighten the blonde's spirits as only a moment later he came by caring two bowls of cereal.

The two ate in a comfortable silence until Corn finished his breakfast and stood. "I should be getting to work. Will you be alright here until I get back?" There wasn't actually much for Beat to do around the place. Sure he could count his money but that would only take ten minutes at most and the TV just played mindless static. Beat crinkled his nose at the thought.

"Ugh. Can I just walk with you to your work? I wanted to do a bit of shopping anyway."

"Sure I don't care. I work on Chuo Street anyway."

Chuo Street, much like Benten-Cho, was always active. Chuo Street had shops that stayed open all night and day regardless of the time of year. It was even a safer place than Benten-Cho as there were no dark spots for any deplorable activity to take place in.

Corn worked in a garage to the side of all the hustle and bustle. The place looked nice enough if not a bit run down, but it gave the place some charm Beat thought.

"Yo Corn! Who's the new guy?!" A loud man's voice sounded off from the inside of the garage. While Beat jumped, Corn groaned.

"He's none of your business Garam." The man just snickered as he jumped out from behind a car. The man was dark skinned and bald wearing goggles that gave him the appearance of that of a fly, a skin tight tank top and black jeans.

"Everything's my business Corn flower! Howdy stranger what's your name?" The man was friendly if not too friendly, the word that juggled around Beat's mind being 'flamboyant.'

"Just call me Beat."

The man smiled like a Cheshire cat. "It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance Beat! You may call me Sir Garam the Gallant!"

"More like the ignorant."

"Corn!" Garam near screeched, he was clearly flustered as he stared down the short blonde with contempt. But this only brought a smile to his thick lips.

"Beat you can meet me here 'round 2 or you can just head back to the apartment. Here you can borrow my key."

Beat just decided on meeting Corn at 2. He didn't really want to be alone in someone else's apartment. So in the meanwhile, he hit the shopping district. He needed clothes. He wasn't about to keep leaching off Corn for his. Not to mention, he wanted to get something that would stand himself out as a rudie and a leader of his own gang. After all, he eventually would have to gain the Golden Rhino's attention as much as it made him quiver at the thought.

Eventually, he ended up settling on some spiked headphones, a pair of black and red gloves. He even found some similar clothes to ones Corn gave him only the shirt had a bit more detail to the sleeves and designs while the pants had white streaks running through the thigh. It was at least good enough for now he thought until he caught sight of some sky blue goggles. He felt a shiver run through his spine as he picked them up. They looked like that creature's eyes. He ended up buying it and a teal beanie for Corn. Their identities had to remain semi-anonymous at least.

Beat was happy for 2 o'clock to roll around. He honestly missed Corn's company. He was used to always having someone around him be it his brothers or Mother. The only time he usually sought alone time was when he was out on the streets or had a private matter to take care of.

Just as he said, Corn was standing outside the garage. He was talking with Garam, who looked entertained with what he was saying. Beat really couldn't tell, he was near unreadable with his goggles on.

When he walked up to them Garam regarded him with a small nod of acknowledgement. "So Corn tells me that you and him started a lil gang together. How cute." Beat couldn't exactly tell if he was mocking them or not. "Got a name?" Beat shrugged while black man hummed curiously. "Well you guys can use may garage as your base if you like. Just not during business hours y'know, the customers would flip their shit." It was small but it was a start. They had a hideout, now all they needed was a name to get themselves on the charts.

"How about the GG's?" Beat suggested "y'know like for Garage Guys? Get it?" Corn laughed while Garam jokingly booed.

"Ha! I needed a good laugh." Garam snickered before turning away from the two. "Well you guys have fun with your gang. Maybe I'll join, maybe not. Maybe once you get more street cred, hit me up in Kogane-Cho." With that, Garam walked away from the two rudies.

"Your boss is weird."

"I know."

"Kinda cool though."

"You know it. Just don't take his flirting seriously."

They had a potential member to the gang. But they needed people to actually join their gang. "Corn who are those two people you think we can get to join us anyways?" Beat sighed as he threw himself onto one of the speakers Garam had littered around the garage.

"My friend Gum, she hangs out in Shibuya terminal by day and the outskirts of Kogane by night.

"What about the other one?"

Corn was silent for a bit before finally saying "Dunno."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

The blonde snorted "I mean I dunno his schedule, only that he hangs around Gum." Beat got the feeling that he didn't exactly like Gum's acquaintance but he didn't ask.

"Guess we head out that way then?"

"Sure."

"Alright let's- wait! I have something for you." Beat was quick to dive his head into one of his shopping bags, he didn't even see the small tint of red on Corn's cheeks until he rose with his gift. Here- wait are you okay?" Caught, the blonde let off a small squeak before nodding vigorously.

"No one's ever bought me anything before…" He trailed until Beat placed his gift into hand. The red head smiled as Corn looked down at the hat.

"First time for everything I guess" that just made the blonde's face get even redder.

After dropping everything off at the apartment and picking up their skates, the GG's hit the town. Beat had freshened up and put on his new clothes and even Corn donned a new outfit. He wore his grey jacket over a yellow t-shirt and a pair of baggy jeans with a fire design on the cuffs with his new hat shading his eyes from the setting sun.

"Those goggles are creepy." Corn had suddenly said as they made it to Kogane-Cho.

"It's kind of the point. Don't worry I promise not to wear them all the time."

"You better, and when you don't, hide them in a box under a cupboard or something. I mean damn those things are freaky. I hope they don't scare the pants off Gum's friend."

Why is he a-Oooph!" Beat didn't exactly expect someone to come rocketing into him out of nowhere and knock him clean into the dirt of Rokkaku-Dai-Heights. For awhile all he could hear was the blood in his head and Corn's snickering

"Omigosh yo! I-I I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to yo! Why aren't you moving yo?!" Beat didn't really have the oomph to move to see the teen boy that clearly just hit puberty that just rammed into him at what felt like mach speed. In the end, all he could manage a pained groaned. That unfortunately was a mistake as it made the boy on top of him more frantic to the point where he began bouncing on him, his thigh rubbing against his crotch. And what was Corn doing? Laughing it up. Beat was clearly alright, just a little stunned but the young teen's actions were just too entertaining to watch.

When the boy's worried squabble continued on for another three minutes, Beat decided that it would just be best for him to roll over and face the boy. But what he wasn't exactly prepared for when he did, was the boy to just roll with it. When he rolled onto his back, the boy came with him, landing on his junk. "Oww uhh…" He ended up moaning as his eyes landed on the teen. The boy was probably around 13 or 14. He had dyed light green hair and was wearing a three sizes too big green pull over with baggy brown shorts. He had his eyes hidden behind a pair of red framed sunglasses but he was clearly crying. He was pretty adorable Beat had to admit but that wasn't something to think about with him sitting on his unmentionables. "H-hey kid, don't worry I'm fine. J-just could you… You know…" He near begged but the kid however just didn't get the idea. He just made it worse and probably more incriminating to anyone other than Corn.

The green haired teen just leaned in closer, looking Beat over for probably any injuries he might of caused him, though not considering the one he was causing in the red head's pants.

"Listen kid. I think you've caused my friend enough… Scarring pain" Corn near snickered which in the end didn't help his friend. It only made it worse. The boy wailed.

"Yoyo!" A woman's voice called loudly, worry evident.

Corn gulped "Oh no… Gum…" Beat didn't even have a chance to ask him who that was as what happened next, happened so fast. Gone was green haired teen only to be replaced with a bodacious woman with blonde hair neatly tucked into a blue and white aviator's helmet. Her lips were pulled into a thin line and her chestnut eyes were narrowed dangerously as she leaned forward, her breasts nearly spilling out of light green dress. Beat could feel her knuckle slowly digging into his crotch.

"What were you doing?" She asked coolly. Beat just squeaked. Her knuckle dug further. "I said what were you doing. "

If Beat couldn't speak for himself, Corn knew he'd have to step up to the plate before Gum eviscerated his genitalia. "Gum it's all a misunderstanding. Yoyo boosted out of the buildings and took my friend down." While she wasn't all that convinced, she removed herself from Beat anyways with only a parting kick to the crotch that she assured him was by accident. It wasn't of course.

"I'm sorry. It's just I get so worried about Yoyo when he goes off on his own for this exact reason." She cooed innocently as she skated over to the still lightly crying teen.

"I didn't mean to bowl him over though yo…" Her response was just a light chuckle as she just squeezed the teen into her chest, her eyes not leaving Corn as he helped the red head to his shaky feet.

"So what brings you to my turf Corn? We haven't exactly talked since-"

"Since we broke up, yeah I know, but my friend and I here wanted to ask you something."

She just scrunched her nose as if she knew what they wanted. "You know how bad it gets in Benten-Cho right Gum?" She gave no answer but Yoyo nodded. "Well it's because of the Golden Rhinos; my friend Beat here thinks we can put an end to them. We started a gang together and we'd like you to join it, Yoyo too if you like."

Her face remained unreadable; Yoyo on the other hand, was bouncing at the idea. "Really yo?! Gum! We just have to join yo! A real gang wow yo!" He was no longer crying but beaming instead, a sharp contrast to just a mere five minutes ago.

"Whatever fine, we'll join on one condition." Her eyes fell on Beat. "You. Beat me in a race around my turf and me and Yoyo will join your gang. If you can't, I'll feed you to those members of Poison Jam that keep intruding on my turf." Corn didn't like the idea but Beat looked damned near determined.

"Sure why not? I need to warm up any ways." Corn just groaned as he saw Gum take a harsh inhale of air. She was extremely competitive which Beat was just about to find out.

Corn and Yoyo stood off to the side as they watched the two rocket off, knocking into each other at any given chance not to mention screaming profanities to the point where Corn just decided to cup Yoyo's ears until they were out of ear shot. "I think even if Gum wins, she'll still join." Yoyo spoke suddenly "she's been trying to find us a gang to join but she's just so prideful yo. Thinks we can do it all ourselves even if someone offers. But she always talks about you."

Eventually Gum and Beat rounded the corner. They were neck and neck even as they hit the finish line. "Congratulations, you guys were both the winners!" Yoyo cheered bouncing in his gold colored skates. However, even with his cheer, the two still bickered.

"I was the leader half the race!"

"Um no you weren't. Get your facts straight."

"I still beat you in the end!"

"My skate was there first!"

"Uh guys?"

"You're delusional."

"I know you are, but what am I?"

"GUYS!" Corn hissed, that definitely got their attention.

"WHAT?!" He said nothing. He only pointed deeper into Rokkaku-Dai-Heights where the sun no longer touched. When the two followed his finger, they saw nothing.

"Corn trying to scare us is not going to stop the fact that I beat his ass!" Gum declared triumphantly while Beat just flipped her off from behind his back.

"H-he's not lying G-Gum…" Yoyo whined with a light shake before hiding behind Corn. Gum just snorted. Beat however gave it another look and just for a brief moment, he swore he saw a face in the dark. It wasn't the creature nor was it his Father's face. Whoever it was however was clearly not friendly if that demented smirk he saw had anything to say about it.

"Gum they're right."

She couldn't help her laugh. "Well then! Whoever is out there, this is my turf! You want it? Then come out to play!" She wasn't being serious, but when a blue reptile skin clad hand reached out from the shadows and grabbed her arm, she knew the others were right and that the beast took her seriously. "Eugh! Get off of me!" She screamed as Beat and Corn jumped onto the beast. Yoyo tried to pull on Gum's hand but the cretin's was stronger than him even as he dug his skates into the dirt. Even Beat and Corn were losing the battle; the thing was disappearing deeper into the shadows with Gum in tow. As a last ditch effort, Yoyo pulled out a graffiti can from his hoodie's pocket and sprayed what he hoped to be the thing's face. It let off a mannish screech of pain as it dropped Gum and flung Beat, Corn and Yoyo off its person. From the sound of skates clacking against the dirt, they assumed it was retreating to go lick its wounds.

"Ugh… What was-was that thing?!" Beat coughed as dirt had gotten in his mouth.

"Poison Jam." Gum sighed, picking Yoyo up from the dirt like a mother would her child. "I haven't a doubt but… There was something off…"

"Yeah! That stupid oaf trying to turn this into a game of Donkey Kong that's why!"

"Even that aside… You know what? We'll join your gang. We need to get out of this place for awhile anyways."

Back at Corn's apartment, Gum and Yoyo took residence up in Corn's bed, leaving the blonde to sleep out on the couch with Beat for the whole night this time.

"Why'd you let her have your bed dude?" Beat asked, nearly squishing the blonde as he himself threw himself on the couch.

"Because I'm a nice guy" he mumbled into red fuzz of the couch.

"No really."

"Because I still have a soft spot for her, she is still one of the main reasons why I'm here after all. No Gum? You probably would of gotten hypothermia or became a Doom Riders' bitch."

"Good point. Do not want that at all…"

Corn smiled into the cushion before turning over "night Beat."

"Night."

Beat didn't feel Corn move away until rolled back to find his back support gone. With tiny groan of stiffness he rose to see that it was still dark out. _"Out of all the things I bought, why couldn't a watch be one of them?"_ He thought with mild annoyance until he felt a small draft that tickled his socked toes. _"Did he go outside or does the blonde strangler really exist?"_ As quietly as he could, he rose to go check things out. Just as he thought, the front door was ajar. The porch light was on, bathing a bit of the interior in its soft glow. He could hear Gum and Corn talking.

"I-I didn't know… How did he die?"

"Shot dead by the Golden Rhinos… I saw it too. I wanted to give up being a rudie but Beat convinced me otherwise. He wants to put an end to them as much as I do."

"Why what motivated him? He lose someone too?"

"I don't think I should be the one to tell you. It's really not my place y'know."

"I understand." It didn't feel right. Beat knew he shouldn't be listening to their private conversation. But he didn't want to move, he was too curious.

"What about you Gum… What have you been up to?"

"After I left you and Soda, I found myself caring for Yoyo… Poor thing… I think he got hit by a bus or something he had, has amnesia. He can't remember anything that happened to him… When I found him he was starving, a chunk of his hair grey and his eyes looked bloody. I cleaned him up, dyed his hair green, he wanted it green and I gave him his glasses his eyes stayed red, they scared him. He thought I'd leave him and I promised him I wouldn't. I called him Yoyo because he'd leave me but always come back… That's what he did earlier… He hates to hurt people. I think it has something to do with his past but I don't know…"

"Do you regret finding him?"

"Sometimes I guess… But it's only because it would be easier to travel around. I always worry about his safety. Heh I guess you can say even I considered ditching the rudie life. I thought about taking him home to my parents up in Niigata but the rudie life is all he knows now… I think I screwed him over, like maybe someone else should have found him…" Even she had her faults. She just hid behind her cocky attitude, like him…

"You can't keep moving forward if you regret the past Gum. You'll just keep dwelling on it. I had issues getting over Soda's death. I let it get me depressed… Soda wouldn't have wanted that. Then Beat came along. He got me to move onwards. Hell without him I probably wouldn't even outreached to you and Yoyo. You two probably would have been fish bait without us."

Gum let off a light snort "I wouldn't go that far Corn, but I'm glad you guys came. I'm glad to be here with you again… Beat's cool too." The two shared a small laugh as Beat retreated from the door to return to the couch only to find it occupied by a tiny green lump. Confused, he poked the lump until Yoyo's head poked out.

"…Yo…" Yoyo yawned blearily, his glasses slightly askew, revealing a tiny bit of his darkened irises.

"How is it you get the only bed in this place and yet you still feel the urge to steal my spot?"

The green haired teen pouted. "…It was lonely without Gum… S-so I thought you'd like to share b-but you were up too…"

" _It must really suck not to remember anything…"_ He had what seemed to be the mentality of five year old, like he had no idea about what sounded inappropriate or was. Either that or Gum just kept him severely sheltered.

"I really don't want Gum to hurt me again…" He groaned just deciding on sleeping on the floor instead; least there he could stretch out. "I mean I've just started to underst-ooph!" He didn't really want or expect Yoyo to just jump on him and get comfy.

"I don't like sleeping alone. The monsters'll get me… They have before, see?" In the low light of the moon that peaked into the room, Yoyo lifted his sleeve to reveal various scars of bullet wounds and cuts.

"I-I see."

The teen gave him a wide grin. "So you'll protect me?"

"Y-yeah just scream for Beat and I'll come runnin'" This seemed to please him as he tucked his head under Beat's to fall asleep. Not even ten minutes later, Beat fell asleep too.

When Gum and Corn came back in, it took everything in her power not to go slap Beat and take Yoyo back to the bed. But with the soft tap by Corn on her shoulder she let it go. They ended up both retreating to Corn's bed.

 **End of Part 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Part 4**

" _Takako… I won't let you leave me again…"_ No matter how far he ran, his Father just kept getting closer, the walls becoming bloodier. There was no escape, not that he could see.

" _Just stay away from me!"_

" _They've corrupted you haven't they?"_

" _J-just leave me alone damn it!"_ The walls began to close in on him. Chills ran down his clammy skin as he hit a dead end. _"N-no…"_ He couldn't see his Father anymore, only two sets of bright sky blue eyes.

" _Takako my love... Won't you join our perfect family?"_

He couldn't take anymore. He woke up, eyes snapping open to find himself still on the floor of Corn's apartment, clutching the still sleeping Yoyo to his chest. He felt gross. His skin was sticky and cold with sweat. He wanted to shower, but he didn't have the heart to move Yoyo. He just looked so comfortable. He had sprawled himself over his torso, one his legs curled around Beat's and the other digging into the carpet. Every now and then he would move around as if he was trying to just bury himself into the red head until finally he tilted his head up with a yawn.

"Oh… You're finally awake yo?" His voice was small, still heavy from sleep.

"I could say the same thing for you kid."

The mint haired teen yawned again. "I've been fading in and out since Gum and Corn left for work… You weren't sleeping well were you? Y-you cried for help… I couldn't help wake you up yo…" It was easy to how visibly upset the kid was.

"Just a nightmare kid, no need to worry." That didn't put him at ease he could tell. But it did get him off of him and to drop the whole thing.

"Gum wants us to go back to Rokkaku-Dai-Heights. She said while they're at work, to get our stuff from our home to bring back here." Beat gave him a small nod before standing to go get ready.

"I used to get nightmares to yo… They felt so real… Gum could barely even get me to respond sometimes… Seeing you in the same situation scared me…" Beat didn't know what to say. He had barely even known the kid for 24 hours and he was already worried about him and even trusted him enough to share something that personal with. It made him wonder if he just had that effect on some people.

"Hnmm, then how about this? Next time I have one, I'll think about you to wake myself up. If I see you, I'll know it's a dream and that it can't hurt me. You can do the same if you like." That brought a wide smile to the teen's face.

After getting ready and grabbing a quick bite to eat, Beat and Yoyo were on their way back down to Kogane-Cho.

"That Poison Jam freak shouldn't be around at the moment since its daylight." Beat sighed more to himself than anyone as Yoyo led him down the path where the beast had emerged from.

"Yeah I hope s- oh no yo…" Yoyo moaned. He stopped just as he reached an old ratty trailer that looked like it had just been through a tornado: claw marks ran along what wasn't torn up on the outside. The interior was no better as everything inside had been smashed, ripped or thrown around. "T-this was our home…" When he didn't move from his spot, Beat decided to check to see if anything was salvageable.

After a good hour of shifting through the wreckage, Beat had come up with nothing. Any clothing he had found had just become rags under his inspection and the furniture was nothing but splinters and broken glass. But he still wasn't prepared to give up. He didn't want to come up empty handed for Yoyo's sake. From what he could tell, the mint haired teen was just sitting down in the dirt outside. He hadn't even tried to stick his head in. Truth be told, he didn't really think he was going to be able to find anything until he had turned over the ripped up mattress. Underneath the mass of fluff that had accumulated, he found a small golden chain with a small locket attached. Curious, he popped it open to find a small picture of Gum and Yoyo inside. They were bright-eyed and smiling at the camera without a care in the world. Chuckling fondly, he closed the locket to go show his find to Yoyo.

"Hey Yoyo, look what I found. Hey… what'cha staring at?" The kid had his eyes set on the sewers.

"Poison Jam did this Beat! We have to do something yo!"

"They're not why we're here Yoyo. We can tell Gum and then we'll come back with her and Corn. We can't take on Poison Jam ourselves."

"It doesn't mean we can't try!" He shouted as he took off with a boost to the sewers.

"Yoyo! Aw God damn it…" Beat hissed before he took off after him. _"Ugh… Why do I feel like I'm gonna regret this?"_

He regretted it all right. When he entered the sewers after Yoyo, he didn't expect to find the teen stopped at the entrance. He ended up running into him and knocking them both down into the empty sewage gate.

"Aw sick yo! Why'd you do that?! I swear I can taste sewer water!" Yoyo squealed, spitting hoping for the taste to leave his mouth.

"Well why didn't you listen to me?! If you listened maybe we wouldn't be down here right now!"

"Or we'd all be stuck down here! Least we have a chance of Gum'n Corn finding us yo!" The bickering wasn't getting them anywhere they knew that much. It was just however easier to blame each other instead of looking for a way out. Eventually Beat just threw the locket at Yoyo and turned away to cease the arguing.

"G-Gum's locket? Y-you found it?" He squeaked out in surprise.

"Yeah… Listen Yoyo… Let's just not fight. Let's find a way out of here so you can give it to her-ooph!" He didn't expect Yoyo to jump at him and hug him.

"Awww! Aren't you two just the cutest! Putting my soap operas to shame! To shame!" A familiar loud voice cooed from higher up.

"Garam?" Beat called to find the fly-faced black man staring down at him and Yoyo waving. "Why're you- how did you- tch never mind could you just get us out of here please?"

"Maybe… Just maybe I'll help you two if…"

"I swear to God if you make us-"

"Oh sweet heavens no! I'm not that cruel. But you can if you want. I can just see all that se-"

"Garam!"

"Well! You're no fun. But I digress. I assume you both are going to see Poison Jam and I want to come. Safety in numbers yes?" Beat couldn't exactly say no. Garam seemed like the type to not help until he got his way unfortunately.

"Fine, just please just help us out of here."

"Not a problem~ just step out of the way and help will be down shortly."

True to his word, Garam dropped help in the form a giant rusted girder.

"How'd you move that yo?!" Yoyo questioned the moment he grinded to the top. Beat had to admit he was curious too. If he was so strong, why did he need their help to confront Poison Jam?

"Well Pistachio, I just got mad skills!"

"No seriously."

"D'aww Big Red you're no fun! But alas, tis none of your business at least for now anyways." His voice held a somewhat sinister tone as he began to lead the way deeper into the sewers.

Corn's boss was just plain weird and kind of creepy. As he lead the way, he discussed how his Grandmother taught him and his brother voodoo magic and how he mutated his other brother's goldfish then sacrificed his pet hedgehog and wore its severed head as a necklace for awhile and even how he ended up with a tramp stamp. Yoyo was more than entertained by his stories, Beat on the other hand just wanted this sewer adventure to just be over.

"Ooh smell that boys?" Garam whispered as he over exaggeratingly smelled the air "smells like we found Poison Jam's den! Think we should bring an offering?" As he spoke, a purple mist began to circle their feet and cloud the air in a light haze. Beat was quick to look at his side to see if Yoyo was alright. The teen had pulled up his hood and tightened it around his mouth and nose. The mist didn't seem to be poisonous as Garam was chattering away, but then again, he wasn't even so sure Garam was even human. For safety measures, he pulled the hem of his shirt up to his face and used his other hand to keep a hold of Yoyo.

Eventually when the haze darkened, a woman's voice boomed from beyond it. " **Who dares intrude on Poison Jam's ter-** seriously Garam?! You again?! I kicked you out of our gang get out of here!"

"You were in Poison Jam?!" Beat coughed in shock at the thought. Garam was the exact opposite of the usual Poison Jam criteria: short, wiry and well flamboyant.

"Why does everyone say that? Hmph! And I'm not going anywhere Cube not until I see my brother and well whatever bone these two have to pick with you!" Garam actually sounded serious which was a complete surprise. He seemed to take everything like a joke.

"Ugh! Just get out of my turf! He doesn't want to see you, you fucking ass-hat! Not after what you did!"

"Is it about the goldfish?" Yoyo suddenly piped up.

"Huh? What? No! Ugh!" The woman sighed as she skated out of the fog with two Poison Jammers following close behind. She had short black hair with a red clip keeping it out of her face and wore a black tube top and black and red Capri pants complete with matching skates. She held a golden beast-like helmet close to her tattooed belly which she promptly chucked at Garam. "Listen here child. He sold out his brother my… King to those Golden Rhinos to save his own ass! Now I'm missing a member of my gang to those freaks and having to nurse my King back to back to full health! I don't have time to deal with you or anybody!"

"Hey that's not what happened Cube! You know that!"

"Oh yeah it was something even less noble, just get out of my sewers!"

"Not until I see Combo!"

"Ghidorah, take out the trash." There was grunt of acknowledgment from one of the Poison Jammers before he began to skate toward the fuming Garam to throw him over his shoulder.

"Cube! You have a cold butt for a heart!" He screamed as he carried away presumably out of the sewers.

"Ugh jack ass… Now what was it you two brats wanted again?" She huffed her patience obviously ice thin.

"Oh yeah uh hi… I'm Beat… leader of the new gang, the GG's…" He could barely find his words under the woman's scrutinizing stare. Yoyo however had no issue.

"A member of your team destroyed the home I shared with my friend, Gum! If we hadn't just joined up with Beat here we'd be homeless!" She was quiet for a long while, her harsh face staying until suddenly it melted away with a frantic tap of her skate across the concrete.

"…I haven't sent anyone out since Orga was captured by the Golden Rhinos… If you are sure it was done by one of my men, it was more than likely him and if that is the case, then the Golden Rhinos are expanding into Kogane-Cho… Rodan go prepare to move Combo, we need to move deeper into the sewers." The Jammer silently obliged, leaving Cube alone with the two GG's. "Ugh this isn't good at all… Their power is growing too fast with that Rokkaku bastard's help…" Beat couldn't help but look away. He felt responsible for all this pain his Father was causing.

" _You are responsible. If you just listened to Takuma, everything would be fine and Mother would still be alive. There would be more time to deal with these Golden Rhinos or better yet, they would have fallen out of power."_ His thoughts always had a way of making things worse for him. He hardly even acknowledged Cube when she was thanking him.

"Without you guys coming down here today, I wouldn't have known what was going on. Thanks I guess… Hey maybe after Combo gets better, we can help you out with your gang. Oh and word of advice from leader to leader?"

"Hnmm?"

"Don't bother with Garam. He's quite the wild card and those are never good."

On their way out of the sewers, the two past by Ghidorah, who regarded them with only an annoyed grunt as Garam's grunt of annoyance echoed throughout the sewers.

When they finally found Garam, he was sitting on the rusted girder, a defined frown on his lips.

"When I was still with Poison Jam, I had poo brain. Least that's what my other brother calls it… Anyways I was tagging with Cube, Orga and my brother, Combo down in Benten-Cho a few weeks ago and we encountered those Golden Rhinos. Cube had this plan that would take'em all out but… I chickened out and ran. Combo was shot and Orga was on an all-"expense paid trip to Golden Rhino HQ… Cube told me to never come back… I did over and over again with the same result as today… I feel bad as it is… I guess I deserve Cube's rage I know I do… Guess it's why I keep coming back…" He took a breath as Beat and Yoyo joined him on the girder. "Ever since that night, I've been trying to do good. When me and Corn's old boss kicked the bucket, I took over for him so his kid wouldn't have to sell it. Hell I'm even letting you guys use it as your hideout at least until find one all your own."

"I don't think it's your fault. We all get scared…" Beat muttered "at least you're tryin' to better yourself and make things right in your own way. You could have cut yourself off and forgot about your brother and old gang. You didn't even have to help me and Yoyo but you did. You're not bad. You just made a mistake. You're human." He didn't even know if he was talking to himself or Garam anymore. But the black man looked pleased with his answer as he clapped him on the back.

"Thanks Big Red I needed that. You and Pistachio are good people. Hey I think I'm ready to join your guy's gang now."

Cube's words rang through Beat's ears" _Don't bother with Garam. He's quite the wild card and those are never good."_ Beat was quick to ignore them however.

"Sure Garam. Welcome to the GG's."

Garam had been to Corn's apartment before. He knew it was small and 'janky' as he put it. He opted to staying down at the garage in case they needed him for gang related business. This suited Beat just fine as he already didn't like having to battle for the couch.

When Beat and Yoyo returned home they were greeted to the sight of Gum and Corn passed out on the couch. They had been listening to the radio as it still played eclectic melodies.

"Wow does this mean we get a bed tonight?" Beat mused much to the amusement of Yoyo.

"Heh Gum would probably destroy you yo."

Beat shrugged "Probably. Hey want anything from the kitchen?" Yoyo nodded before he stuck himself in the corner by the radio to listen.

Corn had gone grocery shopping he noticed as the aging fridge was stuffed with more food than it probably seen in years. He ended up just taking two bottles of grape soda. When he returned to Yoyo's side the loud man on the radio was talking again.

"With Gouji's help, those Golden Rhinos have flourished like germs in a swimming pool! Their reach has gone from Benten-Cho to Kogane-Cho and is even starting to bleed into Shibuya-Cho can you believe it?! He's even placed a new gang on the streets: the Noise Tanks! They can control electricity so it's best not to piss them off if you want to keep your cable! They've already taken down the Immortals of the Sky scrapper district in Benten-Cho. I wonder who they will take on next? Watch your backs kiddies because things are about to get rough!"

"DJ Professor K never lies yo… Think they'll get us?" Yoyo murmured as he took a tentative sip of soda.

"No we'll beat them back. We have to for the better of Tokyo-To"

" _Or for yourself? You just want to stop feeling guilty. You don't care about what happens to anyone but yourself."_ Beat couldn't help his moan of irritation with his head. He hoped Yoyo wouldn't notice but he did. He could feel the teen's pale hand move up his arm in a soothing motion.

"You're not yourself yo…" His voice was a quiet fact. Beat didn't want to wake up Corn and Gum. He ended up dragging Yoyo onto his feet and to Corn's bedroom.

"Yeah… I'm not myself. I haven't been for awhile… I started this gang to get back at the Golden Rhino's for killing my Mother and my mind's been second guessing me the whole way. I've done this all just so I could stop feeling horrible. I got my Mother killed by being out in Benten-Cho and her death made my Father crazy. He killed my brothers and helped those bastards. He doesn't even know they're what did it… Or he does and doesn't care…"

Yoyo's face was unreadable under his glasses; he even realized this as he shakily raised his hand to remove them. His eyes were a strange sight to see. Small little scars of cuts painted the areas of his eyes which themselves were an odd hue of dark brown, they looked almost bloody, you couldn't even see the pupil. It was kind of breathtaking he thought. The teen's eyes were drawn downwards as a small tear escaped one of his eyes. "You're Rokkaku Gouji's son yes?" Beat could only nod.

"None of this is your fault." Beat didn't expect that one. "You told Garam what you should be telling yourself. As much as it applies to him, to should listen to your own words Beat. Your Father made his choice and you've made yours… You both have to own up to it because second guessing…"

"Could get us all killed or worse" Yoyo nodded, his hair covering his face as he reached for the red head's hand. He rubbed his thumb in circles around the older teen's hand for a good five minutes before finally looking him in the eye.

"We all trust you Beat. Gum wouldn't be here if she didn't yo and we all have our reasons for wanted the Golden Rhinos gone. Your Mother's just yours.

"What are yours then Yoyo?"

He wasn't able to answer as Gum walked in her hair askew and her tired eyes locked on Beat in irritation. "Out" was her order and Beat dare not comply. Yoyo just smiled softly as he dropped Beat's hand and watched his flee like a dejected dog with its tail between its legs. "How was our home?" Her voice betrayed nothing of the venom she had before much to Yoyo's delight. But that soon went away as he processed her question.

"oh… It was wrecked… Beat was only able to find this still intact." He handed her the locket which she looked at with soft eyes before clipping it around her neck.

"At least this was safe then…" She sighed before leading him to the bed for some much needed rest. Once she had him pressed into her however she spoke again. "Yoyo?"

"Yeah?"

"You didn't tell him did you?

"No I didn't…"

"Good. It is for the best that he doesn't know at least yet…"

When Beat made it to the living room, he found that Corn was actually awake and had turned off the radio.

"How was your day?" Corn asked as he put the two half empty cans of soda back in the fridge.

"Gum's place was wrecked, only one thing worth salvaging. Ended up in the sewers because Yoyo said Poison Jam did it and well in the end, Garam joined us and we learned that the Golden Rhinos are in Kogane-Cho now."

"Gross." Corn groaned before throwing himself back onto the sofa. "The action just seems to follow you doesn't it?"

Beat couldn't help his laugh at that. "It sure seems that way sometimes doesn't it?"

"I just fixed cars all day and ate lunch at Gum's work. Hey tomorrow we both don't got work, let's go tagging all of us. We can get our street cred up and cause some much needed trouble around the neighborhood."

"I couldn't think of a better thing to do myself Corn."

 **End of Part 4**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 5**

Beat's dreams just kept getting worse. He ran from his Father as before only this time he had made it to his Father's workshop. Blood and machinery littered the floor and if he looked hard enough, he could see flesh and hair. The sight made him sick. _"I-it's just a dream. It's just a dream…"_ He repeated over and over to no avail.

" _Oh Takako… Where have you gone this time? My sweet Takako… Come back to us won't you please? We have a surprise for you~"_ His Father sounded close, but he wasn't sure, the voice seemed to echo from everywhere. But when he saw that the door begin to creak open, he hid away into one of the many cupboards in the room. _**"I know**_ _you're in here Takako. You know how much I hate for you to be in here."_ His voice was muffled but clearly annoyed. It made Beat shrink further away into the cupboard that is until his hand touched something sticky and wet. All the color drained from his as he brought his hand up only to be met with the pungent scent of copper and that's when the cupboard door was torn open. Light poured in as he met his Father's crazed stare. _"There you are…"_ He purred as he pulled the struggling teen from his hiding spot.

" _You could never have protected them if you couldn't even protect yourself."_

Beat awoke with a loud gasp that sent the still sleeping Corn into lower orbit. "Wh-what's goin' on?!" He babbled as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes to find the trouble but he could only find Beat sobbing into his hand. "H-hey what's wrong dude? A-are you sick? Come on talk to me!" But Beat just sat there staring at nothing even as his friend started to rub soothing circles into his back.

"I-I'm fine… It's nothing Corn. You can go back to sleep." He eventually sighed with a rub to his sweat drenched forehead.

"Naw from the look of the sun, it looks like it's about time to get up anyways." Shocked, he turned his head to find that the sun had already well risen over the horizon. It had to at least be mid morning.

"Oh…"

"Yeah, here, why don't you go see if Gum'n Yoyo are up and I'll go make you some tea to calm your nerves. Sound like a plan?"

"Yeah…"

When Beat knocked on the door to Corn's room, he heard the shower kick on. He took that as a sign that they were up and was about to turn away when he heard Yoyo tell him to "Come in." Shrugging, he entered to find the teen in nothing but his oversized pull over drying his hair with a ratty looking towel. He had his glasses on again. "Hey yo" was all he said even as he took note of the red head's burning face.

"S-sup" Beat choked back. He contemplated just leaving. He really didn't want Gum to rearrange his face.

"Did you sleep well yo? Don't lie to me." There was something in his voice that Beat couldn't identify. He sounded upset if not slightly angry.

"I slept through the night but I had another nightmare." He answered as truthfully as could under the mint haired teen's stare. He looked like he wanted to say something but the shower stopped. "I should go before Gum y'know…"

Yoyo just sighed as he waved him away.

Just as promised, a cup of tea awaited Beat.

It was an hour before the gang got on the road. They met Garam at the garage and told him the plan.

"We're gonna go tagging." Beat explained as he dug out a couple of graffiti cans from Corn's backpack to present the newest member with.

"Sweet and if you're lookin' for new blood, there's a real kickin' girl down at Kibogaoka hill."

Gum groaned "Please tell me you're not talking about Boogie."

"What's wrong Gummy bear? Don't want-" She quickly silenced him just by showing him her fist.

"No, we just got into one too many territorial disputes and I do hope you realize Bug Face, she's an ex-Love Shocker."

Garam gulped at the thought, his hand reaching down to protect his junk. "But if you really want her to join, I'll go with you to recruit her. However, you'll do the talking got it?" Garam looked to Beat, his lips curled into a pleading, quivering frown.

"…Well you did suggest it. Gum you and Garam can go down there and me, Corn and Yoyo can tag around here."

"It would be best for us to all stick together Beat." Corn was quick to point out.

"I don't like it, but he's right. We'll get more done split up than together." Gum sighed as she moved closer to the flinching Garam. "Just stay in Shibuya-Cho. The Golden Rhino influence isn't the strongest here yet. We only should be going to the Benten area with everyone."

After Gum and the unfortunate Garam set off for Kibogaoka hill, Beat, Corn and Yoyo got to work on tearing up Shibuya-Cho. Corn decided on taking on Chuo Street while Beat and Yoyo went between the terminal and Dogenzaka hill. They were careful to stay out of Hikage Street as that's where the Love Shockers lurked and they didn't exactly take too kindly to male rudies on their turf.

"Shouldn't we be worried about the Doom Riders yo?" Yoyo questioned as they finished tagging the record store in Dogenzaka.

"They haven't bugged us yet. Not to mention they're pretty damn slow if you ask me though I've only met them once and that was when I first started out as a rudie."

"What happened yo?"

"They tried to recruit me and I beat their asses like so bad dude." A bright smile came onto Yoyo's face as he began to laugh.

"Wow yo! I wonder how they still run this place if that's the case."

By the time the sun had begun to set, they had tagged every bit of Dogenzaka hill and the bus terminal.

"Hey Yoyo how'd you think Corn did in comparison?"

The mint haired teen shrugged "dunno probably not as well yo. We make a good team after all."

Beat beamed "yeah we do."

They met Corn back at the garage. It was easy to see by his pacing that something was wrong.

"Corn what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Beat inquired. A horrible feeling was beginning to settle in his stomach as the blonde regarded him with shaky shake of his head.

"N-no… I-I've been listening to the radio an-and apparently those Noise Tanks have taken the Doom Riders and Love Shockers under their control… and by their control…"

"You mean by the Golden Rhino's control… Fan-fucking-tastic… What about Gum and Garam are they alright?"

The blonde shook his head. "I don't even know… My last radio watch broke when I took a tumble down Benten tower a month ago, haven't had enough money to buy a new one and I don't think Gum or Garam even own one."

"Shit" was the last thing said for awhile. They had decided that it was best to wait and not suspect anything for awhile. Both Corn and Yoyo had faith in Gum and Beat believed Garam to be smart enough not to get his ass caught. But when sunset turned to nightfall, they knew they had to go looking.

Kibogaoka Hill wasn't the nicest place in Tokyo-To but it certainly wasn't the worse. Houses may have been stacked upon each other to make room for the growing population of lower class because of Japan's failing economy. However with Gouji's fix to the economy, the place had become near forgotten about as many that had taken residence there had left with the economy's improvement. Only the poorest of the poor stuck around the area. Well them and the rudies.

With the sun set, the place became eerie. The full moon was out and bathed the buildings, leaving oblong shadows that danced around the trashy dirt ground. The sewer's cold breath only made it worse as it caressed their faces in a less than comforting manor.

Beat had taken a hold of Yoyo's hand as he and Corn surveyed the area. He didn't want the teen to get lost.

"Where should we start Corn?" The area was massive and difficult to move around in at night. While they were on one side, the others could be clear on the other.

Corn didn't say a thing, he just skating onwards until he came across a bubbly green and pastel blue piece of graffiti.

"That's Gum's work!" Yoyo bounced "So she has to be alright, right yo?"

"Let's hope so then. Let's follow the graffiti trails." Beat couldn't help the chill that ran down his spine at Corn's words. He sounded cold, like he had been expecting this. It just reminded of the last thing he had heard in his nightmare; _"You never could have protected them."_ He unconsciously tightened his grip on Yoyo's hand before he continued to follow after Corn.

As the trio grinded around to the other side of the hill, they couldn't help but take notice of the helicopters that circled around the sky. None of them seemed to take notice of them as they passed strangely in spite of them all clearly being police helicopters. They appeared pre-occupied.

"They're covered in graffiti." Corn pointed out as they made it clear to the other side of the hill. "Someone got'em" there was now a wide smirk on his face. He pawed lightly at one of Gum's graffiti's as he moved onwards.

"He really likes Gum." Beat mused as he and Yoyo trailed after him.

"Gum likes him too. She'd tell me stories when I was younger of their adventures. She never told me why they broke up though yo."

"Maybe it just wasn't the right time for them then."

Corn didn't slow down even when he knew the others were too far behind. He had begun to hear the familiar beat 'the Concept of Love' somewhere in the area. "Gum? Garam? Are you guys here?!" It was risky he knew it. You didn't shout in these parts unless you had a death wish, but he just couldn't help himself.

" _Dude!_ " Beat hissed as he caught up, letting go of Yoyo to just to slap Corn on the back of his head. "Think next time before you scream at the top of your lungs!"

"Like you just did?!" None of them noticed Yoyo wander off.

"Hey you did it first Corn!"

"I don't care! Why aren't you worried?!"

"Because-"

" **Enough!** " Gum roared as she dropped down from one of the buildings with Garam and a black woman with pony-tailed blonde hair wearing a revealing orange and black top with two golden stars over her nipples and orange cargo pants with blue skates. There was a slight limp to her step as she skated over to the two to knock their heads together.

"Oww… What was that for?!" Beat moaned "he deserved it!"

"Don't make me do it again!" He shut up quickly after that. "Listen I'm sorry we didn't get back to the garage after we got Boogie here to join us, the stupid police showed up with helicopters. I got them to leave us alone but I ended up twisting my ankle."

"And I offered to let them stay." Boogie spoke up "well Gum more than him."

"Eh I'm used to it. But she sure changed her tune when I said DJ Professor K was my brother!" Boogie punched him on the shoulder, a blush staining her cheeks.

"He said he could get him to put a message out to you guys but I guess you didn't hear it…" Gum sighed as she tiredly scanned the two GG's, when she didn't find Yoyo, her eyes dangerously narrowed. "Where is Yoyo?"

"What?! He's- oh shit…" Corn moaned with a pull his hair "Beat why did you let go of him?!"

But Beat didn't hear him. His heart was going a mile a minute as he scanned the dark area. He ended up tearing off into the shadows. Gum tried to follow but her ankle wouldn't allow her. She ended up falling in to Corn's arms when it gave out on her.

Alley after alley, abandoned house after abandoned house, Beat looked for Yoyo until he heard a tiny metal clang around one of the alley ways "Yoyo?" He called hopefully as he turned the corner to find the small teen hunched over something. "Yoyo? What'cha got there?" Yoyo didn't move for a bit, worrying the red head until finally he spun around, a small green dog in hand.

"I thought if I could find Gum and Garam, you and Corn would stop fighting but I found him in a pot instead. Isn't he the cutest?" He chirped as he walked to Beat and pressed his head and the dog's into his belly. He looked up giving Beat the cutest face he could manage with his glasses on. "Can we keep him please?"

Beat had to chuckle "Well you got my vote but it is Corn's apartment… But who knows maybe he can stay in the garage with Garam?" Yoyo was quick to give Beat the widest smile he could muster up as the red head led him away back to the others. Neither of them was aware of the sky blue eyes that watched them leave.

" _Why is_ _ **he**_ _the target?"_

" _DO not question your orders if you want to please me at all! Just keep an eye on his movements!"_

" _Yes Father…"_

Gum wasn't exactly thrilled with the doggy edition, but she was thrilled to have Yoyo safely in her arms again.

Boogie was nice enough to let them all stay in her small abode on the hill. She even provided food for the now named dog, Potts. Potts was now currently asleep atop Yoyo who was in turn sleeping curled on Gum on the couch while the others just sat on the floor watching the news as Garam cooked them up some food as he claimed himself to be a wonderful chef. The news wasn't really entertaining to listen to. That was until they started talking about Gouji.

"From pulling our country back from economic collapse with his breakthrough Noise Tank, Rokkaku Gouji has set his sights on something bigger! He's now running to become mayor of our fine city! In the wake of his wife's death, he announced his campaign to rid the streets of Tokyo-To of the rudies and their ugly graffiti. As of an hour ago, the police have even pledged their full support to the cause. Our Tokyo-To police force has even opted to naming themselves the Rokkaku Police in his name. Truly, what is Gouji going to come up with next?"

Beat shivered at the thought _"Great… If things weren't bad before, they certainly are now…"_

 **End of Part 5**


	6. Chapter 6

**Part 6**

When everyone else had decided that they wanted to go to bed, Beat stayed up. He kept his goggles on as a way to raise no suspicion as to why he was still up. Before he fallen asleep, Corn had asked him if he was going to be alright through the night. He didn't want to wake anyone up if he had another nightmare so staying up had become his best option. He ended up laying in front of the TV which had been left on and watched whatever happened to come on. While nothing interesting came on, there was however the occasional commercial that advertized something only know as the Rokkaku expo that was coming soon to 99th Street. In fact it was one of those commercials that were playing when a small, sock-clad foot walked into his line of sight.

Beat was careful not to move as he tried to see who it was, but he couldn't help the small twitch when he noticed who it was however. Moving towards the front door to Boogie's home was Yoyo, he tip-toed around Garam and Corn as he scooped up his skates to make his escape. He didn't even take into account that someone was still up. The moment he had the door open, Beat's hand was on his pull-over, stopping any movement.

"Let me go yo…" He murmured lowly as Beat's grip tightened.

"Not until you tell me where you're going." His voice was firm.

"You heard the kid. _**Let him go**_." Beat didn't see the thick fist coming for his face until it was too late. The punch freed Yoyo from his hold and sent his back on his ass. Everything after that was a blur. He could hear Yoyo scolding someone and even somewhat see the blurs of a large figure and a smaller effeminate one but he couldn't tell who or what they were. By the time his vision completely darkened, he could see Yoyo and the other two skate away into the dark of the night.

" _I don't want to be here… I don't want to sleep anymore…"_ Beat moaned as he found himself back in old home.

" _Welcome home Mother."_ Startled, Beat turned to find himself face to face with the glowing gold visor of a Noise Tank. _"You look like you've seen a ghost."_

He was shaking. Sweat poured down his spine like a river as the Noise Tank examined him. It poked and prodded but with each touch, its body cracked to reveal flesh. He let off a rather loud whimper as the cyborg's face plate crumbled away to reveal the dead eyes of his older brother.

" _Father would like to see you… He has a surprise… He always has a surprise Taisuke…"_ It was strange to hear his name again. It almost sounded foreign in this demented dreamscape. His brother pushed him forward past the blood, past the suspicious lumps that lined the hallway to their Father's workshop. Try as he may, Beat couldn't resist. He couldn't runaway anymore.

Takuma wasn't gentle when he shoved Beat into the workshop. In fact, he seemed to get a joy out of it as he let off a distant giggle.

Rokkaku Gouji's back was to them. He was focused on something at his workbench. _"My sweet Takako… Is this who you've focused on trying to protect?"_ When he turned, Beat wanted to throw up. On the table was the bloodied and abused body of Yoyo. He wasn't moving, it was an unsettling scene.

" _You've failed to protect your Mother, your brothers and now him… How many more will it take before you just stop trying to help?"_

As Beat came to, he could hear Gum's sobs and Corn's soft soothing words trying to keep her calm. It reminded him that he failed. He couldn't keep Yoyo safe. When he opened his eyes, his goggles were gone, probably broken and his face hurt. He felt at his nose to see if it was broken. "You're fine Big Red… Though not for long once Gum realizes you're up." Garam sighed as he kneeled down toward Beat, Potts' head popping out of his shirt with a small yip.

"Ughh… What happened?"

"That's what **I** would like to know" Gum hissed. Her voice was like ice as she stormed up to her fallen comrade. Her limp was still prominent even as she lifted Beat into the air by his scrawny neck. Whatever pain it may have caused her, she didn't show it. "Where is he?!" She screamed "You were the last one to see him I know it!"

"I-I don't know! I _hack!_ I-I couldn't stop him!" He cried as she shook him, tears of fury stinging her eyes.

" **LIAR!** Y-you know! You _have too…_ "

"Perhaps I can get him to speak." Boogie huffed "They didn't use to call me Piranha back in the Love Shockers for nothing."

Beat couldn't help his gulp even as Gum dropped him. "…No… He doesn't know anything…" Disheartened, she too collapsed onto the floor. Corn was quick to fall to her side. He pressed his thinner frame into her quaking one until she shoved him away. "I-I need to be alone…" She stuttered before limping out the door, skates in hand.

"Damn!" Garam whistled as the door slammed. Boogie was quick to slap him upside his head.

"Why're you so inconsiderate?!" She barked, hands on her hips. "Obviously she really cares for that moss head kid and that's all you're gonna say?" Garam frowned as she continued to berate him. "Tch you're lucky I like Gummy enough because if I didn't I certainly wouldn't have joined a team with you on it!" Neither of them noticed when Corn and Beat slipped out the door after Gum.

Gum was still moving rather slowly due to her sprained ankle. Beat was surprised that she was able to keep going, in the end however, she easy to catch up to.

"I said I wanted to be alone!" Gum groaned once she skidded to a halt.

"And me and Corn agree that it's not a good idea." Her glared wasn't settled on the red head but the blonde instead.

Corn just simply stared back at her with a look of indifference. "Gum, you know I love you but… Th-this is why we broke up the first time! You always go off on your own. You think you need to handle things because you're the only one who can even if the people around you want to help! That's why I left you for Soda! Y-you didn't need me… Or Soda… But you needed Yoyo, you need him. So let us help you find him! We're a team for Pete's sake! I care about him and if you'd open your eyes, you'd Beat does too Gum!"

Gum looked stunned, her mouth agape as she stared down the other two GG's. "I-I never realized… God I am an idiot…" Her words came out choppy as she fidgeted with the hem of her dress, not something she did very often. She opened her mouth to speak again but the sounded of paint being sprayed stopped her.

Atop one of the many of buildings of Kibogaoka hill stood and Immortal spraying over one of her tags. "Hey you!" She roared gaining the mummy garbed man's attention.

"What?!" The Immortal hissed as turned away from his work.

"This is GG turf now! Get your dusty ass out of here!" The Immortal just laughed.

"Fine if you can catch me!" He quickly finished his piece and fled for the sewers.

"Gum he's not worth it… And you're gone…" Beat moaned with a small knead to the bridge of his nose.

They ended up chasing the Immortal well through over all of Tokyo-To without stop. The chase didn't end until they reached Highway Zero in Benten-Cho.

"Gum… We shouldn't be here… I have a bad feeling about this…" Beat spoke. The Immortal had long since disappeared from their sights. It left them all alone on the usually busy roadway.

"I didn't ask- ugh… I'm sorry… I guess I'm just too impulsive…" She sighed in defeat, ready to leave until she head a faint call of her name some distance away.

" _ **Yoyo!"**_

Without so much as an alert to the others she took off in the direction she heard Yoyo's cry.

"Gum wait up! This could be a trap!" Corn shouted after her but even Beat didn't listen, he too took off in the direction, leaving Corn to play catch up. "Yeah I have a bad feeling too but I don't rush into possible doom…"

At the other end of the Highway, sat a high cage that the immortals danced in front of. They were chanting something about a sacrifice but Beat and Gum didn't care to listen; they just skated up to them and began beating the ever loving crap out of them as Corn began working on getting the cage to open.

"Don't worry Yoyo… You'll be out in a bit." He called when he felt the teen's eyes boring into his skull. But that didn't seem to put him at ease as his stare only intensified. "I'm g-going as fast as I can alright?" This time he looked up to Yoyo. His hood was up and his mouth covered. But there was something just unsettling about him.

"Well what are you doing Corn?" Gum growled as she dropped the last Immortal "let him out!"

The blonde flinched under their stares as they joined him under the cage. That seemed to make it work as the cage freed Yoyo unfortunately however it caught the GG's.

The last thing they saw before the cage sealed itself and sprayed them with a knock-out gas being Yoyo jumping down from atop the cage with a demented giggle.

Luckily for Beat it was a dreamless sleep however he found it still haunted by Yoyo's laughter. _"That wasn't him. It couldn't have been him…"_

They awoke to the sounds of a clearly irritated woman banging on a chain link fence screaming, "Let me out! I am not a member of the GG's you clods! Not everyone who wears skates is a part of a gang!" Her rage was on a Noise Tank Beat noticed as he tried to rise.

"This doesn't concern us. You will be forced to partake in Death ball for the amusement of our lord Yoyo!" The Noise Tank responded.

 **End of Part 6**


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't know if anyone has come this far or will but I should mention there is yaoi and hinted yuri so yeah… Still don't own Jet Set Radio but if I did it would probably have another game by now.**

 **Part 7**

"It's your fault that they left!" Was one of the many things Boogie and Garam shouted at each other. After they had discovered that Corn and Beat had left more than likely after Gum, the two kept arguing with each other well until the sun set over Kibogaoka hill.

The ex-Lover Shocker eventually had enough and just started to snub Garam. She plopped her butt on the couch and flicked on the TV. Garam just stared at her shocked until she paid attention to him again. "What?"

"That's it?! What?"

"What do you want me to say sugar? Momma's tired of complaining. Why don't you make yourself useful and make us some food."

An hour later they were both on the couch eating some fried rice and pot stickers watching TV. "You really were a Love Shocker." He mumbled over a bite of rice.

"Yeah… Eventually you just get tired of men walking all over you jus' cause you dress nicely or because you're a woman. When I joined the Love Shockers, they made me stronger. I didn't put up with bullshit anymore."

"Well you're putting up with me. I'm like 95% bullshit." She giggled at that.

"What's the other five percent then?"

Garam wondered that himself. He didn't want to screw up and have Boogie hate him forever. She still used to be a Love Shocker and trained in weapons of man destruction. "Heh… I guess an awkward idiot with a temper that tries to mean well but always ends up screwing up in the end…" He looked over at her to see her reaction. He expected her to be negative but she surprised him. She wore a gentle smile, her dark eyes were soft as she patted his knee.

"Just as I thought, sorry for beat'in on you earlier."

"Sorry for being a dick and inconsiderate."

All the hostility between them was gone as they slowly relaxed around each other. That relaxation however didn't last long as the TV turned to static only to quickly return with something that wasn't the news.

" _Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls! Down here at the future site of our first ever Rokkaku Expo just off of 99_ _th_ _Street, we have a special treat for you! Some of those nasty Rudies have come together to entertain you with Death ball, the newest craze to hit the world of sports! It seems they've turned over a new leaf hasn't it? Come see the reformed: Immortals, Doom Riders, Love Shockers and GG's in action today! It is for limited time after all!"_

The TV cut back to the news leaving only Boogie and Garam's dropped jaws proof that it had existed.

"How'd they get there?!" Garam squawked as Boogie ran for their skates.

"I dunno but we gotta get there and bust'em out if we can!" As quick as they could manage, they were out the door and on the road to Benten-Cho's 99th Street.

"Ugh… What is Death ball?" Beat question once he got onto his feet. Now that he was stable, he was able to get a better look at the girl in the cell with them. She tan and tall with short, dyed white hair, wearing a black long-sleeve shirt that exposed her belly with a checkered yellow and black scarf covering her neck, creamy colored cargo pants and black skates. She was a rudie alright.

"Great… Just great… First I get dragged her just because I was on Highway Zero at the wrong flipping time and then they decide to stick me on the team of rudies that don't even know what Death ball is! Ugh! I'm screwed…" She moaned as she skated around the cell with contempt until finally composing herself. "Okay Jazz just tell them what it is and you'll be fine… Okay! Death ball, in teams of two, you fight for the control of one ball in a race around a track, like the track around our cell for starters. Anyways you can pass the ball to your teammate but just don't drop it because the process starts all over again. The opposing team can take the ball too and yeah same thing happens pretty much…"

"And how is that entertaining?" Gum questioned from the back of the cell. "And what did they mean 'for the amusement of lord Yoyo?!' What have they done to him?!" She tried to stand but her ankle wasn't supporting her weight anymore.

"I don't even know who they're talking about. But I take it if you're worried about him then something must be up with him. Here it looks like we'll be working together here and I was told if we win three matches we're free to get out of this joint. I saw their 'lord Yoyo' leave. He was saying something about Sky Dinosaurian Square."

"Thank you but… I don't think I can even race…"

"Don't worry me, umm Lips and Red over here can do this right guys? Call me Jazz by the way. Sorry if I seem jumpy didn't have much sleep but I'm good to go!"

Beat wasn't so sure they could pull it off. Jazz was nice enough but he didn't even know if he wanted to even see Yoyo. Whatever had happened to him was his fault and his alone.

"Beat come on the first race is starting." Corn spoke, breaking him from his thoughts.

"O-oh yeah sorry…"

Jazz stayed with Gum for the first round, this left Beat and Corn to go up against the Doom Riders.

"Didn't we try to recruit you?" One of the two Doom Riders asked Beat as Corn tried to explain to the Noise Tank running the match that Gum wouldn't be able to participate in any of the matches.

"Yeah and didn't I beat your asses to the point where you surrendered your turf to me for a year?" The Doom Rider let off a snort of annoyance before he returned to his teammate's side.

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

The match went by smoothly and Beat and Corn creamed the Doom Riders. "The winners of this match are: The GG's" The Noise Tank declared as the crowd cheered. "The GG's will advance to the next challenge while the Doom Riders get the boot back to their cells to wait for their next chance. Too bad they were just one win away…"

The whole concept of this game was unnerving if you asked Beat. Even Corn scrunched up his nose at the idea. "I hate this game…" The blonde huffed, returning to the starting line only this time with Jazz and the Immortals. It was Beat's turn to sit with Gum in the cell.

Gum had ripped her helmet from her head and flung it at the wall from what Beat could tell as he sat by her curled form on the floor."I didn't want this to happen… Not like this…" She sounded so small and scared. She was the complete opposite of how she was when he first met her.

"We'll find him Gum don't worry…" He tried to sooth, but he just didn't have the same effect that Corn did.

"I'm not worried about not finding him… I worried about what state he'll be in… I don't know what they did to him! He didn't even recognize us Beat! He let us get captured, he's putting us through this an-and I can't even do anything to help! I sprained my stupid ankle and by this point, I wouldn't be surprised if it was broken! I _**hate**_ not being in control!" Hot tears were running down her face quicker than she or Beat could wipe away.

By this point the match had ended and Corn returned to cell. "You and Jazz will be up against the Love Shockers." He sighed as he took over in Beat's place. "Go win it."

Jazz stood awkwardly to the side of the pair of Love Shockers as they regarded both her and Beat with sneers.

"I tried to take over their turf once…" Jazz whispered as the match started.

The Love Shockers were fierce. They did anything in their power to knock Jazz or Beat off their game. From slurs to insults of the male gender, they even kicked and bit. But in the end, the GG's persevered. However it didn't matter in the end as the Rokkaku police came to crash the party, quite literally actually as one of their Rokkaku designed terror drone came crashing through the stadium's sky light.

While everyone fled in fear of getting arrested and in the rudies' case for freedom none of them but the GG's took the time to realize that the drone was already dead and covered in graffiti.

"Were we too late for the party?" Garam called as he and Boogie swung off the drone and towards Beat and Jazz.

"Unfortunately so Garam, you wouldn't have liked it though. The Lover Shockers were here and well you know… No offense Boogie."

"Eh none taken boss man."

"So how'd you find us by the way? Oh and this is Jazz, She helped us out." Jazz just waved.

"Well the TV just flicked to this commercial that advertized where you guys were being held. We don't know why but we didn't really question it. It was our only lead about where you guys were by the way because you freaking left us!"

"Wow really? That's messed up dude!" Jazz laughed as Garam high-fived her in agreement.

"Okay I get it! Bad leadership skills! But let's just drop it for now because we have a lead on Yoyo!"

"So is this like where we part ways?" Jazz asked once Beat and Garam had Gum on her feet.

"Well it doesn't have to be. You've proven yourself to be a good addition to the GG'S Jazz. We'd love to have you on our team." Beat spoke a small smile on his face that made Jazz blush.

"Y-yeah! I'd love to join! Beats Death ball any day and if it happens again least I'll actually be in your gang."

Moving through Benten-Cho was difficult with Gum's bum ankle. They were an easy target for the Golden Rhinos as they weaved through 99th Street and towards the Sky scraper district. Corn even got a stray bullet through his hat. It made him near hyperventilate.

'Phew good thing I left Potts back at Boogie's" Garam sighed in relief as he snagged Corn's hat to inspect the damage. "He would have been Swiss cheese! Yoyo wouldn't have liked that one bit!"

Sky Dinosaurian Square, a dinosaur theme park located over the top of the Sky scraper district. It was the best place around to grind if you were a rudie and the best place to die as well. There were many stories of rudies falling to the ground of the skyscraper district and becoming part of greenery below. There were even stories of them getting splattered against the roller coasters that went by. Why Yoyo would head here was really anyone's guess. According to Gum, he hated the place.

"I tried tagging here with him once but he wouldn't even step on the tracks…" She had said. Worrying as it was they knew they had to look. However they didn't even need to look far as Yoyo jumped down from the entrance way with two Noise Tanks following close behind.

"Yoyo!" Gum called to him as she separated herself from Beat and Garam to approach him. "Whatever they've done to you can be fixed! You just have to come with me- with us!" One hand clutched to her locket the other out stretched to the teen to stroke his face.

" _ **Don't touch me!**_ _ **"**_ Yoyo seethed as he grabbed her wrist and threw her at the fence before she could even say a word.

" _GUM!_ " Corn howled, he was by her side in an instant as the rest of the GG's except for Beat stared Yoyo down, ready for a fight.

" _God what have they done to him?!"_ The possibilities could have driven Beat insane as he watched the demented Yoyo dance with mirth.

" **Hey! He's a** **fake!** " Beat recognized that voice. From where Yoyo once stood, Cube, leader of Poison Jam jumped down and kicked him down the ground with a sickening crunch. "Gross" was all she said as she pulled her skate from Yoyo's body to reveal that he was nothing but a Noise Tank in disguise. The GG's were left speechless as the other two noise tanks fled only to be stopped and destroyed by a massive black man with a boom box resting on his shoulder. "Good job my King… I almost thought they were gonna get away~" she purred as the man joined her side.

"Wh-what ju-just happened?!" Beat panted. The sight of the gore that had become the Noise Tank that still bore Yoyo's appearance made him sick to his stomach.

Cube open her mouth to respond but when she caught sight of Garam a disgusted groan came out instead. "I thought I warned you about him?"

"Beat's just got good taste!" Garam retorted before giving a small wave to his brother who just rolled his eyes.

"Ugh forget about him! How did you know that wasn't Yoyo?!"

Cube however didn't give him a straight forward answer. "I'm not going to talk about this so _openly._ If you really want to know, come to my domain sans that abomination!"

"Hey you dumb cow! You wanna see an abomination? Look in the mirror! Ha! Burn bitch!" But she was gonewithout a trace and the others were once again left a dead end with the location of Yoyo.

 **End of part 7**


	8. Chapter 8

**Part 8**

Unfortunately in the end for Garam, Cube won out in the end. Beat sent him with Boogie back to her house. With Yoyo's life at stake, he didn't want to piss of the only person who seemed to know anything about his disappearance. He even thought about asking them to take Gum with them as she was still reeling from the Noise tank's attack, but he knew better than that.

"I guess we're heading to the sewers then…" Beat groaned once Garam and Boogie took off. He didn't exactly want to return. He didn't even know if the path was still traversable or if Poison Jam took care of it or not.

Luckily for them, the path remained. Beat ended up carrying Gum on his back to get them both to the other side as the others followed, Jazz giving rather colorfully poetic descriptions of the sewers smell until Corn threw up over the side of a rail.

"S-sorry!"

Twists and turns that seemed to go on forever was the common thing in the underground sewage facility and without Garam's help, it only seemed to be worse than it ever was.

"Beat, why didn't we just ditch Garam once he pointed us in the right direction?" Corn groaned tiredly.

" **Because I would know!** " Without warning Cube jumped down from one the ceiling's pipes, Combo following closely behind. She landed before Beat with grace while Combo just landed with a loud thump. "Besides, I could smell that idiot a mile away."

Neither Beat nor Gum was in the mood to put up with her antics. "Just cut to the chase Cube. How did you know that that wasn't the real Yoyo?" Beat demanded, earning himself a glare from Combo. Normally someone so massive giving him the stink eye would make him flee and go re-think his life, but not this time. He just didn't have the patience.

"So demanding… I like it. Anyways I knew it was a fake because I was the one who got him captured."

There was a collective of gasps and roars of anger on Gum's part. Beat on the other hand, tried to throw a punch however it was quickly stopped by Combo.

"Y-you! That was you two last night!"

"Yeah and you got a pretty hard skull kid. Be proud I didn't break it! Don't threaten my Queen again, got it?" Beat just growled as he got his hand back.

"Why would you… What could you gain by giving him to the Golden Rhinos?!" Gum questioned as she tried to fight back the tears. "I told you in confidence of his situation Cube! You said you would watch out for him! Not sell him to protect your own ass!" All eyes were on Gum.

"Situation, what do you mean Gum?" Beat pried but she just waved him off as she approached Cube.

"I wasn't protecting my own ass Gum but I won't lie I was looking out for my gang." Gum's eyes narrowed. "But that didn't even matter as they were all captured by the Golden Rhinos when we were fleeing to the tunnels under Shibuya. They caught us under Kibogaoka and Combo and I barely even escaped."

"So that's what those helicopters were about" Corn mused.

"Yeah and after we escaped, we ran into Yoyo. He figured out what happened pretty damn easily. He wanted to bring us to you guys but we declined and that's when Combo and I saw it."

The GG's gave her a quizzical stare as she broke in her story to let Combo take over.

"We saw this robot thing with bright blue eyes staring down at us. In the shine of the moon it looked like you." He pointed to Beat, causing the red head to flinch.

"You gotta be shitting me…"

"Nope, anyways the thing didn't seem all that interested in me or Cube, it had its eyes on Yoyo. But once it knew it was caught, it fled and we came up with a plan."

Cube continued "We were sure it was with the Golden Rhinos or at least Rokkaku and wanted Yoyo alive otherwise he would have been dead already. We explained this to him and he was interested. He wanted to get caught by it. He wanted to get as many secrets as he could and rescue my gang. Shocked we ended up agreeing and outfitted him with a transmitter and let him return to you guys."

"Once you all were asleep, he came to us of his own free will and Ginger over here got in the way of my fist." Combo huffed with a smirk at Beat.

"And in the end the plan worked without a hitch. We sent him out on his own and the robot swept him off his feet literally. Not even five hours later, he transmitted back telling us that they sent out an NT-3000 to assume his identity. They do that a lot with rudies they kill or capture y'know."

Gum couldn't help the feeling of pride in her belly. Yoyo had wanted to do the right thing, his heart was in the right place but she didn't know how well that would fair him if he was riddled with bullets. "Where is h-he now?"

"We honestly don't know. Where ever he is now is blocked off. No transmissions can get in or out unless they were already placed there. We assume he's in some bunker or something."

"I-I see…" She went to pull at her locket only to find it to be gone. "My locket…" Her voice was nothing but a mere whisper.

"We're sorry this is all we have to offer but we're going to continue looking. We do know for a fact that he's not dead. Our transmitter can still pick up his vitals. If anything he's just fatigued."

They couldn't do anything against Cube or Combo as they knew they meant well enough and at least they were trying to help.

They made it out of the sewers without a hitch as it was easier coming out than going in. Once they were back at Kibogaoka hill however, Gum stopped moving.

"What's wrong?" Beat asked as he saw her put a hand on her chest. "My locket's gone… I think I lost it up in Sky Dinosaurian Square…"

Beat nodded. "Corn, get everyone back to Boogie's I'll go find it for you."

Corn grunted "it's not safe. You shouldn't be going alone." But Beat wouldn't hear it. He could see the bags forming under their eyes. While he knew he had them too, he just had no urge to sleep. Other than his nightmares waiting to claim him, he felt that he needed to do this alone.

"Corn normally I'd listen-"

"No you wouldn't. Just go damn it." Beat didn't hesitate. Once he had the go, he boosted away.

By the time he arrived, Sky Dinosaurian square had well shut down for the night. The only thing that remained being the lights to the archway where the NT-3000 had jumped from. The corpse of it and its comrades were even gone, likely swept away by the Golden Rhinos. He wondered for a time if the locket was too but then out of the corner of his eye he saw its small glint to the light.

"Sweet" he hummed as he went to pick it up only to have it disappear in a small blue blur. "W-what the?!" He looked around to find no one but he knew he wasn't alone, he could hear someone giggling.

"Hee hee~ Look behind you!" Turning sharply he looked down to find a petite girl with short blue hair staring up at his with a mischievous grin. She was garbed in a blue long sleeve dress with a fur trim with stripped stockings to match. Her skates were prominently blue with silver spikes coming out the back. "Hi there!" She giggled as she dangled the locket in front of Beat only pull it away when he tried to grab for it. "Is this what you want?" She began to roll away.

"Yes and now give it back. It's not yours." He stated as he reached out for her only to have her duck away and towards the tracks to the Sky scraper district.

"Sure~ Only if you catch me cutie pie! Hee hee~"

The girl ended up leading Beat back down to the sewers. She was fast, she could of easily out ran him in his tired state but she stopped only taunting with the occasional "I can sell this for a pretty piece of yen!" He thought she was going to take him to Kibogaoka hill but instead she took another turn, leading him down a path he'd never been down before, a path that had always been blocked off.

"You can't catch me~" She giggled once they were through. "This place'll go boom boom pow before I let you~!"

" _Boom as explode? There's no way this girl's serious."_ He reasoned until he bumped into a strange device. "What the? Oh shit…" It was a timer.

"Don't be a silly Billy! I took care of them already! You certainly didn't! Sighhh I wonder what Yoyo even sees in you?" She sang, she was already half way up the stairs to the next level.

" _Oh Fortified Residential zone with your rusted homes for mean old men with guns~ Pretty pins aside, you hold my friend captive and that just can't be~"_ Beat ended up having to follow her voice as she herself was out of sight.

" _Ohh one day he waited two days he waited~ Wondering oh wondering where his friends could be. He sang to me oh he sang to me~ He sang of a tall man with red hair who was nice to him~ Who cared~ Who made sure he was safe and made him laugh to boot! What a man~ That red haired man~"_

The girl's singing kept the place from scaring him but she sung of Yoyo. She knew him. "Are you taking me to Yoyo?!" He called after her but she didn't acknowledge him she kept on with her singing.

" _Lie, lie, lie that's all he does. Such a silver tongue that little liar is~ Had you all fooled he did you know? Run, run, run that's what he did. Left me behind to stay here he did but still I help~ Hee hee what a mischievous boy"_

The girl was clearly off her rocker Beat declared to himself as they neared the top. He could see a cage and that the girl stopped in front of it. She was waiting for him again.

" _Assassins they wanted, they had one now none!"_ She finished with a small curtsy as Beat finally made it.

"A-Assassin?" He panted curiously until he caught sight of Yoyo. He was on kneeling on the floor of his cage hands at the bars. He was clearly exhausted but he looked at Beat with a wide grin on his face.

" _Beat!"_ He called his voice oozing with happiness "Get me out of here yo!"

"I bring him here and even stop this place from blowing and I get no thank you? You break my heart." The girl whined as she handed the mint haired teen the locket instead of Beat.

"I'm sorry Mew…"

"It's Rhyth now Yoyo… I don't go by that name anymore not since I defected."

Beat was lost. He knew he was missing a piece to the puzzle but at that moment he couldn't have cared less. He quickly got the cage unlocked allowing Yoyo to jump free and into his arms. "Gum was worried sick about you kid! Promise you won't pull another stunt like that again!"

Yoyo pouted "You weren't worried?"

I couldn't sleep! Except for when Combo punched me. I took a punch to the face trying to protect you Yoyo! I don't think I could live with myself if anything happened to you or the rest of the gang!" A deep crimson blush formed on the mint haired teen's face as Beat ran a hand over it.

"I hate to break up such a tender moment, but we do have company~" Rhyth hummed as the sky light caved in to reveal two Golden Rhino fighter jets.

"Shit we gotta-" Beat started until he saw Rhyth move up a ramp and jump at the jets, taking them down with a spray of paint to their wind shields and engines. When they began to crash, she grinded down with them until she reached a safer point to drop off at. "Go…"

"That's Rhyth for ya, yo."

"Yeah and you have a lot of explaining to do once we get back to Boogie's."

"Awww come on yo!"

 **End of Part 8**


	9. Chapter 9

**Part 9**

Beat ended up carrying Yoyo out of the Fortified Residential Zone as the teen was too exhausted to move very far without his support.

"You move too slowly!" Rhyth pointed out as they finally made it down and back into the sewers without incident.

"Well you could have helped." Beat himself was starting to get drowsy. He knew he couldn't go on forever without any sleep.

"You look half dead~" Rhyth sang as she led the way. "Let's go to my place! It's closer!" Beat wasn't about to argue with the dead weight of Yoyo on his back.

Rhyth's place was on Kibogaoka hill as well as Boogie's but it was indeed closer. However, it did involve climbing down a ladder, which Beat really didn't enjoy as his skates kept getting caught on the railing.

"I hope you're not allergic to kitties~"

Beat didn't exactly have any issues with cats. They were usually the ones who had issues with him. When he was younger, Rokuro had brought home a cat with a vendetta against him. The cat would always make his way over to his bed just to use it as a bathroom. Even after it died, it still haunted him as sometimes his room would magically start to smell like cat shit. But the cats here didn't seem to have any issue with him. After he placed Yoyo on the couch, some of the cats got comfy on the couch by his side while others followed him around the room.

"The kitties like you~ I wonder why though? You smell funny!" Rhyth giggled as she sat down on the ladder presumably to keep guard.

"I do not smell funny!"

"You kinda do! I don't know why Yoyo likes it! You smell like you fell out of a rich guy's ass!" To prove her point she hopped up and sniffed him only to gag and retreat.

"Ugh whatever, I'm gonna try and get some sleep." She just waved him off and began to listen to her strange head piece.

Sleep didn't come easy to Beat as one might have thought it would. He tossed and turned throughout the night as he could feel his nightmares try to claim him. They however won out as he grew too tired to fight them off.

" _Home again?"_ Was his first thought as he found himself in his bed.

" _Taisuke sweetie, dinner time!"_ He could hear his Mother calling to him from downstairs.

" _What on Earth…"_

" _C'mon bro! Momma said she cooked pho tonight!"_ From his bed, he could see his little brother, Rokuro's head poking through the doorway. There was a wide smile on his face.

Beat didn't know what to believe. _"I-I_ 'll _be down in a minute! Don't worry."_

" _Well hurry! We won't be there forever!"_ That's where the nightmare began. Of course none of them would be there forever. They were already gone.

He made his way down stairs anyway. Everything was dark again.

" _You're too late!"_ Rokuro chirped from behind him. Beat didn't know what he expected to see when he turned, but one thing's for sure, he didn't expect to find those sky blue eyes staring him down again. _"Daddy started without you! But you're not too late to join us!"_

The dream ended abruptly as something icy cold touched his head. "Wha-what?" He moaned tiredly.

"C'mon! Listen leader boy!" Rhyth groaned in annoyance as she pressed the cold object harder into his still bruised head.

He could hear the now familiar voice of Garam's Brother, DJ Professor K ranting about something, but he didn't have the energy to listen until Rhyth grabbed his hair and shook his head.

"F-fine I'm listening!" smiling, she turned up the radio.

"It seems that we, the underground only see that corporate fat cat, Gouji for who he really is! Because guess what? That Rokkaku Gouji became mayor by a landside vote that took place while many of the rudies were being held in that Death ball game. To make matters worse, the Rokkaku Expo has been moved up. Ain't that just fantastic?" The sarcasm was spilling from his mouth like a waterfall. "And now there's these two robot things runnin' around spraying all this crazy graffiti all over Tokyo-To! Are they working for Gouji or doing their own thing? More than likely not! My sources claim that they've seen them associating with a couple of Golden Rhino assassins. Unless they were just asking for a cup of sugar, I'd watch my back if I was all ya'll 'cause things seem to be heating up!"

Beat was up soon after that. "Golden Rhino assassins… You said something about assassins earlier in the Fortified Residential Zone. Why? Do you know what's going on? No more games, no more riddles or songs just tell me!"

Rhyth shrugged "yeah I kinda do. I used to be one after all~" she winked over at Yoyo who was slowly starting to wake up himself.

"What?"

"Yeah! Does that shock you? Hee hee! Then you should just try talking to Yoyo!"

"Hey leave me out of this yo! I was hoping he'd forget!" Yoyo hissed.

Beat tossed him a glare. "No, I wouldn't forget about something like that! You're still going to have to explain yourself to Gum and the others you too missy!"

"So does that mean I'm a part of the gang now? ~" Beat tossed her a quick nod. "Sweet~ so shall we start moving?"

"What time is it?"

She poked her head up the ladder. "I'd say about eight a.m. I wasn't cruel you know. I let you both sleep for as long as I could~"

Yoyo was quiet the whole way to Boogie's. He was mad. Beat could tell as the teen kept his hands to himself. He even put Rhyth in between them. He really didn't want to explain anything to anyone. But unfortunately for him however, that moment came too soon as he heard Gum's sob of joy.

She had been waiting outside for Beat when she had noticed his return along with Yoyo's and the new addition to the gang's. She was quick to Yoyo's side, her ankle was beginning to feel better and in spite of Corn's advice not to stress it, she did anyway as she swooped Yoyo up and held him to her chest. He was warm and full of life unlike the NT-3000. "Oh Yoyo…" She cooed softly as she ran her hands through his hair. She could feel a lump or two. "it really is you… Beat where did you-" she stopped herself as she caught sight of Rhyth. " _B-Bis?_ "

Rhyth grimaced "Ugh I hate that name more than Mew bleh!"

Gum looked down and away "if she's here, then you know the truth… It couldn't stay hidden forever…"

"She didn't say much! We don't have to say anything!" Yoyo almost shouted. He didn't mean to be loud about it, it just sort of happened.

"Is Beat back?" Corn asked as he came onto the scene with Garam, Boogie and Jazz. Needless to say, they were all shocked to see Yoyo's distressed form in Gum's arms.

"Whoa shit!" Garam squawked "Beat actually found him?! I thought you said he was going for Gum's necklace! Don't get me wrong I am happy but I wanted in on the action!"

Boogie was fast to elbow him. "I think we're steppin' on something that doesn't concern us sugar…"

"No no Boogie it's fine… I should have told you guys this from the start anyway… Corn remember when I said Yoyo had amnesia?" The other blonde nodded. "Well he didn't. After we broke up, I joined the Love Shockers. It's where I met Boogie."

"That's true, sure as sugar, didn't stay long though."

"Yeah, because I found Yoyo on the streets, I knew they would kill him if I brought him back. So I took him and ran. I thought he had amnesia at first but he was lying to me…" Yoyo frowned at the drop in her tone. "He told me he had been an assassin in training for the Golden Rhinos until he had ran away after they beat him for failing a mission. Bis over there, was sent to do away with the both of us." She pointed over at Rhyth who scrunched her nose at the accusation.

"Hey I didn't did I! I defected after I found you guys and its Rhyth now and I didn't do you guys in because I cared about Yoyo!"

"Anyways, she fed us information on the Golden Rhinos for awhile so we could stay out of their hair. But losing two of their assassins made them crazy. They craved to regain their lost power and that's why they killed Gouji's wife not because she witnessed some poor rudie's death, but because they knew with some manipulation, they could get his help to regain their power…"

Everyone was silent when she finished. The only sound was the sound of trash knocking against the broken buildings on the hill.

" _My Mother died just because she was just a small pawn in a bigger scheme?"_ Beat's head hurt at the idea as he could see Corn staring over at him with sad, apologetic eyes. He and Yoyo were the only ones who knew about his parentage. By this point, he wanted it to stay that way. He couldn't stomach the reason for his Mother's death any more than his Father's actions. He couldn't wrap his head around why his Father would aid his own Wife's murderers. But in the end, he didn't want to understand. He left that life awhile ago; he knew what he needed to do now more than ever.

 **End of Part 9**


	10. Chapter 10

**Part 10**

"I assume you've all heard Professor K's latest broadcast?" Beat questioned his gang as they rolled into Boogie's house. The helicopters had returned, they were clearly looking to finish what they had started with Gum.

"Yeah, but I don't get it. Why would a robot that's spraying graffiti be talking with members of the Golden Rhinos?" Jazz asked as she sat on the couch beside Rhyth as no one else had wanted to sit by her. Jazz just assumed they had no issues with her personally, just her past.

"That's the thing. I don't really know. We can only assume that they're trying to root out gangs. When a gang finds that their turf's under attack, they come running to attack whoever's trying to steal their turf. I can only assume that those robots are spraying their graffiti so those Golden Rhino assassins can find a gang and eliminate them." Jazz shivered at the thought.

"So what do you recommend we do then Beat?" Gum questioned "Those things have more than likely tagged out Shibuya-Cho. If we go there we could-"Gum's sentence went unfinished as Rhyth's radio began to buzz.

"It's DJ K" she explained before turning it up louder for everyone to hear.

"Whoa! I'd recommend steering clear of Highway Zero and Chuo Street if I was a rudie! Two assassins for the Golden Rhinos have been spotted in those areas! Ooh I think I'm gonna stay away too for once! Seems like they want my bacon too for giving ya'll the low down! Heh guess I should get my running shoes on…"

When the signal cut off, Beat made his way to the door. "Beat, where are you going?" Corn called after him.

"I'm going to go do something about those assassins! Someone has to before someone gets hurt Corn!" He didn't exactly have a plan when he took off. He didn't even expect his gang to follow yet they did.

By the time he had managed to avoid the police and their helicopters and made it to the sewers, his gang was already waiting for him. "H-hey how did you?"

"Yoyo showed us the short cut that Combo and Cube had taken." Gum explained with a small ruffle to the short teen's mossy hair. "And we weren't about to let you take them all on alone."

They ended up splitting into two groups to take on the assassins. Beat, Corn, Gum and Yoyo went to Chuo Street while Garam, Boogie, Jazz and Rhyth took on Highway Zero. But before they went their separate ways, Rhyth snagged Beat's headphones.

"Hey, give those back!"

She childishly stuck her tongue out at him. "Give me a minute!"

We don't have the time t-"

"Done!" She tossed them back to him "You do know those function as a radio right? Or were you just wearing them to be cool? ~" Beat didn't want to answer her but his blush answered her question. "Hee hee oh well. Anyways, I tuned it to Professor K's station for you. He'll give you the low down. I am his informant after all~ so you'll know the moment we succeed!"

Beat decided not to question her as that seemed to have become Garam's job. "You know where my brother's holed himself up?"

"Tee hee~ Yeah! He's just the nicest guy! He even told me how you-"

"O-okay I believe you! Just don't bring it up!" He babbled as they took off for Highway Zero.

"I wonder what he did?" Yoyo wondered aloud.

"Kid, I don't think we even want to know." Beat mumbled.

The trip to Chuo Street was rather nice with music in his ears. It kept his thoughts at bay which was a nice change to things. However the music made it awkward as they skated by the screaming populace. Golden Rhinos were running amuck around the Terminal, they were looking for something that the GG's were glad just wasn't them.

"What do you think they were doing?" Corn inquired once they reached the even crazier Chuo Street.

"Maybe they had their hands full with the Love Shockers or Doom Riders? We haven't exactly been around here as of late" Beat sighed. He scanned the crowds of people that ran about. Some of them seemed to be ducking for cover while others held tightly to rails. They looked like they were trying to avoid being picked up for flown away by someone or something. It made him wonder what kind of assassin they would be dealing with. But he didn't have to wait long to find his answer as he heard Corn's shriek of terror and Gum's profane shout. Sharply turning, he found his friend to be gone and Gum and Yoyo staring upwards at a building. He followed their gaze to find that Corn was being pinned to the building by an extended mechanical arm.

"Finally you rudie scum have showed yourselves! I was getting bored searching the crowds!" A heavily accented voice laughed from behind the GG's, gaining their attention.

Behind them was the man that had pinned Corn. He was a uniformed man with a blue beret and a cigar sticking out of his mouth. He had a matching golden arm to the one that held Corn.

"I take it you're the assassin that's trying to take us all out?" Beat growled.

The man laughed. "No I'm Santa Claus! Yes I am the assassin you stupid spineless fools! And I know you have others combating my partner in Highway Zero as we speak! But I'll have you know that it's all in- ooph!" The assassin didn't expect Yoyo to lunge at him nor did he expect the force to be great enough to dislodge his hold on the blonde rudie.

Corn dropped with a quick shout of "Oh this is gonna hurt!" But he never hit the floor as Gum had caught him. She smiled down at his cherry red face. "P-please don't tell Garam about this… He'll never let me live it down…" She didn't say a word as she put him back down onto his feet. "No promises~"

The Golden Rhino assassin was fast to get Yoyo off of him but not before he sustained a few bites and cuts. He ended up tossing him at Beat who caught him with ease.

"Ugh you retched brats should feel lucky to have the opportunity to die by my claws! Yet you still fight me! Well you'll pay! You'll-" He rose his arm to attack but it never moved "what the hell?!"

"You know it is so nice to know that you can stop such simple machinery with just a small spray of paint~" sang the oh so familiar voice of Cube as skated from out behind the assassin to Beat and Yoyo's side. "Nice to see you made it out of this mess kid." Yoyo regarded her with a wide smirk.

"It takes a lot more than Golden Rhinos to keep me at bay yo!" His enthusiasm brought a small smile to Poison Jam leader's teal lips.

"H-ha-ha! Ju-just because my arms don't work anymore doesn't mean I cannot-" The rest of the assassin's sentence went unheard over the loud roar of a fighter jet crossing the sky over Chuo Street. It was clearly a Golden Rhino jet but its target wasn't the rudies below. The jet shot a missile at the assassin. It was only the quick movements of Gum and Corn that saved the others from getting caught in the crossfire. They pulled them back just before the missile made contact.

When the haze cleared, the rudies found that there was nothing left but the assassin's charred corpse.

"H-holy shit yo…" Yoyo gawked as Gum pulled him into her body. "That could have been us…"

Beat couldn't believe it either. Not because of the fact that they could have died but because of the fact that the Golden Rhinos ended up killing their own man in cold blood. _"I guess what's their use if they can't perform their own job?"_ It made him wonder, if the circumstances were different, could that have been Yoyo or even Rhyth's fate?

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't realize Cube was talking to him until she elbowed him. "Huh?"

"I said I heard back from Combo. He's in Highway Zero now with the rest of your gang. They're all fine, though Garam did get a little burn on his ass."

Beat couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips at her statement, "and what of the assassin?"

"Well just turn up your radio and you'll know."

He pulled his headphones from his ears and turned up the volume for everyone to hear.

"Wow! Those GG's are something else! They took down those assassins as if they were just ants under their skates. Highway Zero's coolin' and those idiots in Chuo Street are shopping again. Maybe things'll start t- hey! Who the hell are you sucka?! Get out of here! You don't live here! Hey! Don't touch that! That's my stuff! Sucka I'm warning you- Ow! Help me! Help me!" The radio went dead. Not even music played anymore.

"Now I wasn't expecting that…" Cube sighed with a scratch to her head.

"Think he's okay yo?" Yoyo asked.

"I don't know but why don't we ask him?"

No one had noticed it until Cube had pointed it out. Standing before the rudies atop a small store stood the famed robot with sky blue eyes. Combo was right it did look unsettlingly like Beat. The robot was black with pointed headphone like ears wrapping around its head. Its arms and legs appeared to defy gravity as they floated by its body.

"Th-that's the thing! The thing that was in your house Beat!" Corn near screeched at the robot's eerie form. Beat was scared of it too but not because of its appearance, but about what he thought it to be.

The robot didn't seem to be concerned with what the rudies thought of it as it jumped down before them. " _I bear a message from Rokkaku Gouji… 'Come to the Shibuya Terminal. I am done playing around Takako…'"_ With its message given, the robot skated off, leaving the GG's to think about their next move. Do they do as requested? Or just run away.

 **End of Part 10**


	11. Chapter 11

**Part 11**

Beat decided that it would be best to regroup with everyone else before even thinking about heading to Shibuya Terminal. Cube agreed with the idea and called up Combo to lead the others down to sewers.

Cube herself led the way down into the sewers. But before they entered, they all couldn't help but notice how the sky seemed to unnaturally darken.

"That can't be good yo…"

"Guess it's only another reason we have to hurry."

It was in Poison Jam's hideout that they met up with the others. They looked pretty beat and in Garam's case singed. The only ones who looked up to any challenge really were Combo and Rhyth.

"So how'd it go?" Beat asked. He was quite curious about what kind of assassin they had ran into.

Garam answered "Oh my God she was evil!"

"Obviously" Boogie snorted.

"S-she was a fucking pyromaniac that wanted to turn us into well-done steaks! She burned the seat of my pants! I had to beg Jazz to pick me up a pair before we came here because I don't show off my cute little butt for free y'know!"

Jazz faced palmed "Yeah and now I'm down fifty bucks. However that's not where the story ends. With Combo's help we were able to take her down. Kind of a grisly death to be crushed under a billboard… But anyways, then this robot that looked like you, Beat, came and led us onto the railroads."

"Yeah, where I got electrocuted by some stupid Golden Rhino machine!"

"Not helping Garam and hey it was just a little shock."

"I was twitching as Rhyth finished the stupid thing off!"

"Whatever, so after that, that robot came down and told us to 'get to Shibuya Terminal. Gouji's done playing.'"

"…Yeah we got the same message…" Beat sighed.

"But did yours say anything about a Takako?" Boogie inquired.

Beat froze.

"I mean I know that was Gouji's wife's name but that robot seemed to talk like she was with us."

Both Corn and Yoyo looked to Beat. His face had paled as he held his arms with a light shake.

"Okay yeah it did… That robot referred to Takako because I am Gouji's son… When she died, he went crazy and now thinks I'm her just because of our resemblance…"

There was an echo of gasps throughout the sewer as well as a groan of disgust from Garam.

"Man what's wrong with that fool?! I mean how could you not know when to let go and accept things?! But whatever I can see why you didn't tell us."

"I really didn't want to. I just wanted to finish this whole thing and forget about it all and not bother you guys with the trivial business of my crap Father. Not to mention I didn't think I'd get very far with any of you if the first thing I said was; 'Hi I'm Beat! I'm the son of Rokkaku Gouji! You know the man who wants you all dead and works with the Golden Rhinos! Want to join my gang?'"

"Yeah…"

"I would have kicked you in the balls…"

"I rest my case, and I understand if you want to leave. This doesn't need to be you guy's fight."

"But it's different now" Gum sighed. "We've all come so far together. We're not going to leave you because of this, not now, at least I won't."

"Yeah I won't either!" Garam chirped "because it is our fight too! Knock him out of power, and we can just go back to running from the idiot police and not those Golden Rhino fuck-tards!"

"I've been with you since the start Beat. I'd gladly follow you to the end." Corn spoke with a light clap to the red head's back.

"I'm tired of finding Golden Rhino's lurking 'round my home. It sucks sleeping with one eye open." Boogie yawned.

"Well I can't exactly say I've known you all long enough but if we die, it would be an honor to go down with you all." Jazz laughed nervously "but I'm sure we won't…"

"As much as I hate Garam," Cube started.

"Right back at cha, Cube."

"You can count on me and Combo to help in anyway. I still have to find the rest of my gang after all."

The only ones who had yet to say anything now were Rhyth and Yoyo. They seemed to realize this as the blue haired girl nudged her friend. "I want to help as long as I know Yoyo will be there too!"

All eyes were on Yoyo now. The teen began to sweat under their stares. "I-I want to help yo! I want to stay with all you guys but how can you trust me or Rhyth when you know what we used to be? I mean, if it wasn't for me, for us, none of this would have happened!"

Beat shook his head as he took the teen's hands into his, tears brimming from both of their eyes. "Thing is, you never know what may or may not have happened if things turned out different. It could have been the same story just a different day. What I do know is that dwelling won't help. I've learned that. It just puts you in a worse place then you were before. That's what I think happened to my Father and I'd be damned before I let that happen to you, Yoyo."

"…W-whoa yo…" Yoyo's face was on fire as he looked into Beat's sincere forest gaze.

"Hey I hate to break up this… tender moment" Cube spoke her words carefully. "But look up."

Beat ended up having to tear his gaze away from Yoyo to look up to the sewage grate where Cube had pointed. What he saw was quick to remind him of their date in the Shibuya Terminal. He didn't really know what he was seeing: people were floating in the air towards something. Some looked dead while others fought for awhile until finally going limp.

"That can't be good…"

"Way to spot the obvious leader boy. We have to start moving."

Shibuya-Cho was dead. Cars were abandoned, stores unattended. It was quite the eerie sight to the GG's as they skated their way to the Terminal. The only thing that moved other than them were the people that floated through the air towards the Terminal.

"This is just disturbing." Jazz noted "I hope we don't end up like them."

Boogie had to agree with her "yeah but I wonder where they're ending up?"

They didn't have to wonder long as the terminal came up to reveal a tall black foreboding tower-like structure with a creepy black and white face that spun around as the tentacle like things at its side danced and nestled in between all that was Rokkaku Gouji.

" _ **Welcome Ladies and Gentleman to the beginning of the long awaited Rokkaku expo! I do have to admit, it was a little behind schedule as I was dealing with some troubling news…So many troubling rudies had invaded my city and hurt my dear wife… But you need not worry I've come up with the perfect solution! My work of art sings of a new future without worry without pain. Yet it's not finished! But you can help, all you need to do is channel your useless worries of demise and grief**_ _ **towards my tower! What's that? Don't know how? Why don't you let my sons help with that?"**_

From the tower's core, two robots emerged onto the scene, the robots that shared Beat's likeness.

" _ **My sons are geniuses you see so don't cross them. You've been warned!"**_

"Sons?!" Beat growled "h-he really did it…" He figured his Father had done something to his brothers. He thought he had just killed them in blind anger but instead he turned them into something else entirely.

"Beat what do you mean?"Gum questioned as she saw the robots targeting the civilians that tried to flee from the tower.

"Those robots… They're my brothers, Takuma and Rokuro… He turned them into robots…" The pair of robots caught sight of them and began skating towards them.

"But do they know that?!" They could hear them growling the closer they got.

"But they're my bothers Gum! I can't just-" When they had gotten too close, Rhyth had let off a sharp cry as she kicked them away with her skate. A thick cracked sounded through the air as the pair were sent flying into a railing, denting it slightly.

When Beat stared at her, she shrugged "they were getting too close and you guys were just bickering!"

Beat couldn't argue with her, she was right. If he didn't want anyone in his gang to get hurt or worse, he was going to have to rage war with his brothers. "Okay I get it… As much as I don't want to do this, we're gonna have to take them out if we want to get to Gouji."

"Now I can wrap my head 'round that!" Combo snickered, cracking his knuckles "taking Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum'll be easy!" Beat's brothers were already on the move as Combo began to chase after them.

" _ **Such like rudies to be unfair to my beautiful children! How about I even the odds a little?"**_

Three more figures shot out from the tower's core only this time, Cube recognized them.

"My gang!"

The three members of Poison Jam looked terribly creepy under the low light of the sky without their masks as they'd been replaced with strange helmets that seemed to make their bodies twitch horribly.

"You bastard! What have you done to them?!" Cube's voice was loud and sharp. She had no idea if Gouji could even hear her, but he did.

" _ **Such disgusting creatures they were. They didn't respond well to my commands so I**_ _ **made**_ _ **them! Now look at them! I have them under better control than you ever did!"**_

This infuriated Cube but she stayed silent, her anger instead being put into charging after Beat's brothers. She steered clear of her gang but that didn't mean they wouldn't go after her and Combo.

"Come on guys we have to do something!" Beat huffed "just try anything to either get rid of those helmets on Poison Jam or… Stop my brothers."

Boogie, Garam, Jazz and Rhyth ended up splitting off from the group to deal with Poison Jam while Beat, Gum, Yoyo and Corn followed after Cube and Combo to deal with the robots.

"Ugh! You can abuse these things until the cows come home and they'll still just pull themselves back together!" Combo hissed as his boom box finally broke after crashing it into one of the robot's for the umpteenth time.

"How about spray paint then yo?" Yoyo suggested, producing a can from his pull over "it worked on the assassin back on Chuo Street.

Cube nodded as she took the can. "Yeah it'll clog the stupid thing's circuits for sure but… Here Beat you should the one to do it." She tossed the can to the red head once they drew closer to the fleeing robots. "They're your brothers."

Beat looked down at the golden paint can with weary eyes. Was he really going to let it end this way? He thought surely there was something more he could do for them. He knew he didn't have much more time to think about it. They were gaining on them fast; it was as if his brothers were slowing down, that they accepted what was going to happen to them.

It wasn't much of a conscious thought when it happened. He sprayed the backs of his brothers and watched them crumble to ground with heavy pants. The paint was seeping deep into their circuits as one of them shakily turned towards Beat eyes flickering from bright sky blue to dim grey.

" _M-Mo- nngh… Taisuke… Th- *zzzert* thank you…_ " It choked out before crumbling down to the ground dead with its brother.

Beat could hear DJ Professor K talking through his headphones again along with the melodic beat of some song he didn't know. He was talking about a bright future. It made him wonder if he could even see what was going on outside. Gouji and his tower were still there sucking up people. The sky may have been clear now but it was still dark to him.

Gouji stared down upon the rudies that killed his sons below the tower. He stared down at them with disdain.

" _ **You dare interfere with my masterpiece? I thought I told you all I was done playing!**_ _**If you want to play this way, then maybe you would like to help me complete my work! Eh?"**_

The tower's suction intensified and Yoyo was picked up. He let off a sharp scream as Beat snagged his wrist. "Don't let go yo!" He begged as Beat was struggling to hold on.

"You better not let him go!" Gum shouted once she wrapped her arms around his waist, Corn following her example by wrapping his arms around her.

Their combined weight however wasn't enough to hold them all down. They ended up sky bound as Combo got a hold of Corn's ankle. Cube had jumped on his back, legs around his neck as she held onto Corn's other ankle. They were quickly being dragged forward. The others didn't notice their predicament until it was too late to make a major difference as they were still hunting down Poison Jam.

The suction became stronger making it more difficult for Combo to hold on until finally someone knocked into him and Cube causing them to let go of Corn and in turn everyone else.

When Beat, Yoyo, Gum and Corn were sucked into the tower, the sucking stopped and people fell from the sky like rain.

"Shit" was all Cube could say on the matter. The only thing she and Combo could do now was focus on Poison Jam and hope for the best. Thing is, she never hoped for the best outcome.

Everything just plain hurt when Beat came back to his senses. He had pretty much just been through a tornado and landed in a crazy world that made him feel like he was on a drug trip.

"Looks like we're not in Kansas anymore…" Corn moaned as he tried to get his bearing. The world around them was lime green and navy blue with various out of place objects floating around a giant piece of floating concrete at the top. But that wasn't what bothered him about the world what bothered him was the army of shadowy men that were led by a familiar person.

"S-Soda?" He called out, gaining the other's attention.

They didn't notice the quiet army until Corn spoke up but they weren't focused on them, their leader had their eye. He was tall with a very prominent nose sticking over his teal jacket. He had on light green pants with teal skates and goggles atop his head but even further than that was a helmet like the one Gouji had placed upon the Poison Jammers.

" _ **The Golden Rhinos collected the bodies of the rudies they killed. They were such fun things to experiment with~ like him? I know he's a friend~"**_ Gouji laughed from his perch high above.

Corn let off a sob as Soda directed the army of shadow men at them.

" _ **If you get bored and realize that they're not worth it Takako, you can always come up here with me!"**_

"What is wrong with that man?!" Gum hissed as she dragged Corn away from the shadow men. He was too shocked to move on his own.

"I have to go up there."

Gum and Yoyo both looked at Beat like he was crazy. "You can't be serious? You know it's what he wants right!"

"Well what choice do I have Gum? I don't think there's any other way to get out of this hell hole!"

"Well! You don't have to do it alone! You have us!" Yoyo nodded vigorously.

"I'm sorry! It's just something I have to do alone… Keep those things at bay and I'll be back. I won't let him win" and with that, he took off onto one of the floating platforms to start his ascent.

"Yoyo listen to me carefully…" Gum started her body stiffening in irritation.

As carefully as he could, Beat made his way to the top. The platforms didn't move under his weight but he couldn't help but worry that they would collapse under him. A fall from this height after all probably wouldn't end all that well for him after all.

When he finally made it to the top, he found his Father with his back to him. He too was wearing one of those helmets that the Poison Jam and Soda had on.

" _ **Takako…"**_

"No I'm not. I'm Rokkaku Taisuke, your son."

" _ **How dare you say that name… He's dead to me. He took you away."**_

"No I didn't! Those Golden Rhinos you worked with, they did it. They killed her all because they were power hungry fools like you Father!"

" _ **You're lying! Shut up, they helped me while he ran! I only had our two boys but they were scared of me!"**_

"So you turned them into yours and the Golden Rhino's slaves?! You know the Golden Rhinos were just using you! Why can't you understand that?! Why couldn't you just move on?!"

" _ **Because I love you Takako!"**_ Gouji charged at him, his form morphing into a giant silver and white robot. He aimed to kill Beat but he didn't hit his intended target.

Beat didn't expect what happened. He expected to get cleaved by his Father but instead he was knocked out of the way, a shock of green catching his eye as he was almost knocked clear off the platform.

" _ **Yoyo!**_ " He bemoaned as he watched the teen's small body hit the ground with a small thunk. His body felt numb as the boy lay unmoving against the ground "Yoyo!" He was at his side in an instant trying to illicit any sort of response from the limp body in his arms.

" _ **Why do you care more for this insect than me Takako?!"**_

"Because I love him damn it! A whole lot more than you ever did for me or Mother!" His voice was hoarse. He wondered if Gum or Corn could hear what was going on from down below.

" _ **No you love me!"**_ The more he tried to reassure himself the more pathetic he sounded.

"No I'm done!" Beat rested Yoyo on the ground as carefully as he could before he stood to face the hulking monstrosity that was his Father.

He boosted at him knocking him down easily and as he stood, he did it again until a crack began to form on his belly. _"This ends here!"_

Before Gouji could stop him, Beat sprayed the rest of the spray can from earlier's contents into the crack.

Electricity began to bubble out from crack as Gouji reached to stop it with a groan. But no matter what he did more just began to spill as the world began to crumble around them.

"You had this coming you know…" Beat spoke once Yoyo was in his arms.

" _ **Did I now eh? Maybe you're right Taisuke…"**_ Once he fell Beat began to grind back down to Corn and Gum.

" _ **Do you think I'll get to see Takako again?"**_

"I know you will Father."

The world faded away around them leaving nothing but white for a long time.

"H…He… et! Ge… p!"

Beat could hear someone talking to him but he didn't want to move. His sleep wasn't plaguing him for what felt like the first time in ages. "Go away…" He yawned.

"Psht! He's fine!" It was Garam; he'd recognize that voice anywhere.

It was against his will for his eyes to open as he found Rhyth to be opening his eyelids for him.

"No more sleepy time~ we need to get out of here!" She forced him to sit up while Garam pulled him onto his feet.

The world seemed to move around Beat, nothing centering until he caught sight of the rubble that was his Father's tower. "G-Gum… Corn… Y-Yoyo! Where's Yoyo?! Is he-"

"Relax space cadet! Sheesh they're all fine really." Garam explained "the others took them back to Corn's apartment. We got stuck bringing you home. I mean we can leave you if you to go back to sleep and wake up a little nicer. Then you can explain to the cops what the heck happened."

Beat didn't argue with that. He just let Garam and Rhyth lead him back to Corn's.

"Yoyo's fine by the way" Rhyth spoke. Beat let off a sigh of relief.

"He had a couple of broken ribs nothing he isn't used to."

That sigh of relief turned into a full on moan of worry.

 **End of Part 11**


	12. Chapter 12

**Part 12**

The trek to Corn's wasn't exactly easy. Beat had tumbled forward twice: once because he started to get drowsy and the second time because Garam had lost his grip which caused Beat to lean into Rhyth who just dropped him so she wouldn't get crushed under him. To make matters worse, the streets were still filled with disoriented civilians who were rather confused with what had happened only a few hours ago. But inconveniences aside, they managed to get Beat up the stairs and into Corn's small apartment.

When they entered, they expected to see everyone either sitting in the living room or raiding the kitchen, however there was only Gum sitting on the couch humming to Yoyo who was asleep head in her lap. The TV was on and playing some cartoons.

Gum looked up to them with tired eyes. "Cube and Combo went to the drug store to pick up some medical supplies for Yoyo with the others. Corn's in his room… He wanted to be alone."

Beat nodded in understanding as Garam lowered him to the floor. It's not every day that you're sucked into another dimension and forced to run from your supposed to be dead lover and his army of shadow minions. That would screw anyone up for awhile.

"Well maybe we could make him something to eat!" Rhyth suggested as she pulled at Garam's arm. "Everyone's gonna be hungry when they get back anyways!" Garam didn't have much of a chance to argue as the blue haired girl pulled him along to the kitchen, leaving Beat, Gum and Yoyo alone with only the low noise of the TV keeping the room from being completely silent.

"I didn't want you confronting your Father alone…" Gum breathed "but I didn't want Yoyo to get hurt… He told me he saved you…"

Beat looked down at his feet. "I understand if you wished he didn't…"

"N-no that's not what I mean. I'm glad he saved your life. You see even though he didn't have amnesia, I still had to teach him a lot of things about the street and how to survive because his ideas were warped… I told him not to risk his own life but that lesson never stuck with him… I'm glad he was up there with you because if I was… I don't know if I would have done the same…"

He admired her honesty. He didn't say anything back as he leaned up against the red couch. He didn't think he needed to as Gum moved Yoyo off her lap and stood with a small stretch. He assumed she was going off to Corn's room as she disappeared around the corner.

"Beat…?" Yoyo's voice was weak with sleep.

Beat could feel the teen lightly tugging at his hair until he turned around to see him.

"Hey Yoyo… How're you holding up?"

The teen gave him a wide smile before wincing in pain. "Good enough yo, Cube said she was gonna tape my ribs for me when she gets back… But how about you?"

"Me? I'm fine really but you had me worried sick! I thought I was going to lose you Yoyo!"

Yoyo's face burned a deep crimson as Beat cupped his cheek.

"I-I'm sorry but… But when I got up there, I saw him charging at y-you yo. I couldn't let him hurt you because I-I you know… Yo…"

The more he babbled, the redder his face got until finally Beat silenced him. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss onto Yoyo's lips. The teen squeaked into the kiss but he didn't pull away, he leaned further in.

Yoyo's lips were soft and welcoming as he opened his mouth to deepen the kiss which Beat didn't hesitate to do. He could feel Yoyo's fingers digging into his hair as their tongues battled for dominance.

The battle continued well on until they heard Garam's whistle of approval from the side of the couch.

"Wow it's about damn time! Rhyth you owe me ten bucks!"

"No that money goes to Jazz because you still owe her for your pants~"

"Damn it!"

Beat looked at them in horror as Yoyo covered his face. "H-how long have you two been there?!"

"Not long~" Rhyth sang "we finished cooking like five minutes ago and came out to see if everyone was back yet but we found you two kissing instead! Hee hee when you guys popped out of that tower you two were cuddling so we bet to see how long it was before you started eating each other's faces. I said a day but Garam said probably as soon as Gum was out of the room."

The look of mortification only increased as the front door was opened and Cube and the others walked in and Garam shouted: "Hey guys! Those two totally kissed! I am the best cupid ever!"

Cube just rolled her eyes as she shooed Beat away to get at Yoyo and his broken ribs. "Announce their union to the world why don't you? I'm sure Gum would love to hear of it."

"Hey if it wasn't for this wonderful beautiful person, you and Combo wouldn't have met!" With as much grace as he could, Garam twirled around the carpeted floor and pointed to himself.

Cube snorted "whatever I'll give you that. Just go away and let me work! You're presence makes everything more difficult!"

Garam flipped her the bird as he and Rhyth trotted back to the kitchen with Jazz in tow as she was starving while Boogie stayed at Cube's side to aid her. Combo had decided to sit down by Beat who had moved across the room by the radio.

"The rest of Poison Jam didn't make it…" Combo whispered lowly gaining Beat's attention.

"What?"

"After you guys stopped Gouji and the tower crumbled they did with it… I guess that helmet thing linked them to Gouji or something and when he croaked they did too…"

"How's Cube taking it?"

Combo shrugged "I won't pressure her or nothin' to talk about it. She'll talk when she's ready but Poison Jam was the second gang she lost… Ever heard of Rapid 99?"

Beat nodded "I heard they ended up dead… I didn't know how at the time but I can only assume it was the Golden Rhinos."

Combo looked up at the ceiling "yeah… The Golden Rhinos were still under the radar at the time and well… Cube didn't see it coming, they all fell one by one but they made sure she made it out of their turf, 99th street safely. I think it's why she held Garam in such contempt and still does. She may just see herself in him."

"Why're you telling me all this Combo?"

"You're easy to talk to kid. You can be an ass but you know when to get serious y'know? And I was discussing it with her and we'd like to join your gang. Cube's done leading but I don't think she'd admit it to you."

Combo looked like he wanted to say more but he stopped once he began to hear Garam's constant 'pssts' from the kitchen.

Beat looked over to Garam to find him hanging out behind the wall of the kitchen with two bowls of soup in his hands. He gestured Beat over. He sighed as he excused himself from Combo's side.

"What?" He whispered as Garam handed him the bowls.

"Take these to Gum and Corn. I think if I walk out there, Cube'll have my balls. I'd ask Rhyth but as you can see she's flirting with Jazz." Beat looked over to find the statement to be true. Both girls were giggling as they played footsies under the counter.

Beat couldn't argue with that but he wondered himself what Gum would do to him if she found out what happened between him and Yoyo. He didn't want to stop and forget about it all. He wanted to pursue a relationship with Yoyo now that everything was cleared up. The Golden Rhinos were sure to crumble without his Father's aid and his Father himself no longer threatened Tokyo-To.

He ended up sucking it up as he delivered the bowls to Corn and Gum. He really couldn't tell what kind of soup it was but it smelled spicy.

Beat couldn't exactly knock on the door with his hands full. Luckily for him however the door was cracked open slightly. _"Please don't be doing it"_ He prayed as he peered through the crack.

Much to his relief he just saw the two of them sitting on the bed's edge. Corn had changed back into his blue jumpsuit; he was using its long sleeves to dab at his eyes. It was hard to tell, but they were red. Gum held him, her head resting on his as she used her fingers to comb through his blonde hair. She was clearly trying to soothe him but it only made him more upset it seemed.

"Gum… I-I let Soda down… I should have… I could of…"

"We couldn't have done anything more for him Corn… At least now he can rest in peace." He buried his head into her neck, his lips quivering as he let off a choked sob.

"B-but he should have had that all along! He didn't deserve to have to exist as some man's fuckin' puppet!"

Gum pressed a kiss to his forehead as he pulled her into a hug. "Beat you can come in I see you."

The red head jumped at Gum's claim. _"Shit I wasn't that obvious was I?"_ He thought as he nudged the door carefully open with his foot.

The levels of awkward rose ten levels as Beat found Corn's puffy blue eyes to be following him as he entered. "Uhmmm… Garam and Rhyth cooked… They wanted me to bring you some food…" Now both of them were staring at him. "I-I can just leave these here and go…"

"No it's fi-fine…" Corn huffed as he pulled away from Gum to rub at his eyes. "We'll come out and e-eat…"

Gum rubbed her hand across his back "you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure. I'm fine." He was shaky as he stood. Gum kept her arms out to steady him if need be, but he made it to Beat without assistance. He took his bowl with a small thank you before leaving the room.

Gum took her bowl shortly after but she didn't follow after him. "Seeing Soda really rattled him. They were close even back in America" she sighed. "Well we were all pretty close. But they had this strange little bond. I was always jealous of Soda because of it… But I digress." She looked up at Beat with a knowing look in her eyes that made the red head flinch. "I heard Garam's screech to the heavens."

"Oh… Oh no…"

"Yeah but don't worry. I approve, but break his heart…"

"You'll break every bone in my body and then some?"

Gum gave him a wicked smirk "it's a promise."

Cube had finished taping Yoyo's ribs by the time Beat and Gum stepped back into the living room. Everyone had a bowl of soup in hand except for Beat and Boogie, who was just busy setting the radio up.

"Bowl's on the table!" Garam said in between shoving noodles in his mouth.

"You are a disgusting oaf." Cube groaned from her spot on Combo's lap.

Beat was quick to snag his bowl off the counter and claim his spot on the couch by Yoyo, Gum and Corn. Yoyo tossed him a grin and a peck on the cheek.

"Aw so cute~!" Rhyth cooed before returning to playing footsies with Jazz.

"Yes! I finally found it!" Boogie cheered once the voice of DJ Professor K came through with a call of "Jet Set Radio!"

"Yes I'm back everyone! Had to change my location and station number but if ya'll are listening to this then why do you care?! Heh thanks to that new gang of trouble-makers, The GG's, our world is normal again! They took out Gouji and all of his flunkies, his tower of the 'future' now just steel and glass ready to be cleaned up. Too bad the rest of Poison Jam didn't make it out in the end. But they're probably up in rudie heaven bowling over cops and watching horror flicks only their twisted minds could have come up with. Their stank no longer an issue to the public… Heh for once I really don't got anything all that witty to say… I'm shocked." He paused for a bit the only sound being heard being the records skipping in his studio. "Well the Golden Rhinos fled with their tails between their legs and the Police are back at hunting rudies again with their new Captain, a nut named Hayashi but… The one thing they can't stop is people's desire for freedom. Try as they may, in the end, they'll just end up like Gouji because you can't control everything or everyone. Someone'll always rise up to the challenge and knock you back down and into your place."

As his voice began to fade, music came to replace it.

Everyone eventually crashed on the floor or couch except for Beat. He just stared at the game show Jazz had left on the TV before she and Rhyth passed out. He didn't sleep because he feared another nightmare; his thoughts were keeping him up.

It was around when the TV said it was midnight that Beat went to go stand outside. There was a full moon out so he saw no need to turn the porch light on. The air was crisp but not uncomfortable.

"What's wrong yo?" He could hear Yoyo yawn from behind him.

"You shouldn't be up Yoyo your ribs…" Beat trailed as Yoyo joined him by the porch railing.

The mint haired teen shrugged as he pulled off his glasses, surprising Beat. Seeing this, Yoyo smirked "don't look so surprised you've seen them before yo."

"Y-yeah not in the moonlight though…" He blushed as Yoyo took his hand into his.

"So why're you out here Beat?" He looked him straight in eye.

"I was just thinking about all that happened today and how it ended… My Father, my brothers… I can't wait to see all this in the paper." Sarcasm oozed from his voice as Yoyo leaned into him.

"Least it's all in the past now yo…"

Beat sighed he was right. It was all in the past and nothing could be done to change a thing.

"Maybe they're all happy up there together yo?"

"I can only hope so…" He carefully pulled Yoyo to his side as they stared up at the moon.

Thoughts of the future crossed Beat's mind. There was always action on the streets to be had and with his gang, he hoped to put everything behind him and move forward.

 **End of Part 12. End of Main Story.**

 **So if you made it to the end and liked it, leave a review and what not. If this is well received, I wouldn't be against writing the perspectives of others since this was mostly Beat focused and I know that he might not be some's cup of tea…**


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